Hallucinations
by Tally Mai-chan
Summary: They never meet in battle. He was never a living puppet. She never killed him. They cross paths when they were never destined too. And what happens when everything was a lie? Sasori x Sakura.
1. Chapter 1

Tally Mai-chan: Hello! This chapter has undergone major re-write. For those who had read this story before you will find lot's of new content and some big differences. For those who is their first time reading this then please enjoy. Also, this story takes place in pre-shippuden time.

Chapter 1

* * *

Sakura cried, alone. The gentle boughs of the willow tree, shrouding her in a leafy haven. The gurgling brook that ran through its fingery roots a subtle encouragement of strength. She whimpered softly to herself, the vast silence, her only companion but it was only there when she was silent.

She wanted to break that grim silence and her voice choked. "I-I'm such a fool, thinking that Sasuke would ever like me. I'm so pathetic."

The silence ate her voice. Smiling made everything better right? If she smiled she would be okay, right? She tried to smile but couldn't. What was so bright about being dumped, again?

Tried and hungry she peeled away from the smooth bark of the willow tree, her fingers tracing the gentle contours, then lifting away into empty space. She walked along the rugged path, sunlight streaming through the tree tops like beacons in a fog of pristine green. Sakura stood tall and looked around her, everything was so beautiful today. The forest was humming with life, flower heads smiling at her, their bright petals showing off. Small animals dashed from bush to bush, hiding from her. She continued her trek, hoping over logs that had fallen on the trail or ducking around venturous spider webs, their silver strands crossing over the path as spider bridges.

It was an old trail no one used, at least no one she knew used it. She walked through a bulking bush, its branches lazily spread across her path and high into the air. The bush was like a guardian of her trail, most people failed to see it because of the bushes leafy foliage, so thick and bursting that it hid the little worn trail.

She walked onto the main trail, feeling the smooth track through her thin soled sandals. Solo riders often used this trail, or small groups of merchants. It was a popular scenic trail to Konoha for those who liked to get off the beaten path.

Sakura liked it because it was so peaceful, and the people you meet along the way were friendly, happy people. In fact it was a scholar and his brother that she meet on the trail that first ignited Sakura's burring desire for knowledge. The scholar was a stout man, but he had a heart of gold. He shared with Sakura secrets of the world, talking about things she could never have dreamed of, and she wanted more. He generously gave her books to study from, books that described the nature of things, how lightning and electricity worked, theories of evolution and mankind. Philosophy, astronomy, art, literature, the sciences, math, everything. She wanted to know it all.

The ground trembled softly and Sakura stood and listened. A horse neighed and cantered around a bend in the trail. Its rider a young man. The man watched her as he rode closer. It was a tall, roan colored horse with skinny legs. The ride, donned in a vibrad green cloak. He rode up to her and tugged on the reigns.

"Is this the way to Konoha?" He asked politely.

Sakura nodded and pointed down the road. "Take this trail south until you hit the road, the gates should be visible on your left."

He nodded, muttering a quick thanks and rode off. She watched him ride down the trail, wondering who he was. Maybe a messenger, for trails were safer from bandits than the more open roads.

The trail was all to herself now, no distant horse hoofs pounding the earth in the distance. She knew a lot about horses, they were gorgons creatures after all. She had a few books on them in her room. She thought about the other books sitting on her desk at home, they were due back at the library today. She should go home and return them, the library closed in a few hours.

She could also study those new philosophy books her mother bought her. Ino also gave her a book on flower arranging that looked interesting as well. It was going to be another full night of reading for her.

It's a shame she didn't get much opportunity to train today, or much at all this week for she mostly read.

She knew Naruto and Sasuke trained everyday, sometimes she would read while watching them. She smiled warmly as she remembered those wonderful days. Naruto would get bored or tired of his training and he would walk over and ask her what she was reading. She would never tell him, and she would laugh secretly as he tried to find out.

Sasuke would never give her that kind of attention though, he never paid attention to any of the things she did. She tried really hard to, to impress him, but nothing worked. She didn't think Sasuke liked books, she has never seen him read anything. Not even at the academy.

If Sakura trained more and read less would she be a better ninja? The dark thought blurted from her mouth.

"If I never spent so much time with my books, and maybe trained a little harder, would I have been so weak?"

The thought tempted her with bitter sweet wisdom. What if she had spent more time training, than reading? She could have been stronger, faster. She could have been a ninja worthy of Sasuke's respect.

Sakura looked hard and long at the trail winding ahead of her, a trail that would take her out of the woods, and to the road.

Her dark thoughts whispered to her, _why go back?_ _Why not run away, and train. Konoha had books and distractions but here, outside in the wilderness... there was nothing_. She could train everyday here, honing her skills and after a few months she could go back, impressing everyone with her new found skill. Sasuke would be so impressed with her that he would have to respect her, and even... go out with her.

Sakura beamed at her plan, it was so simple, it was perfect. Why didn't she think of it before?

Because it was also stupid. Konoha was safety, it was protection, it was a guarantee of food and water. It was her home.

Sakura scowled. Home. Safety. She was sick of being protected. She was sick of being the weak link everyone saved but no one depended on.

Her sensibility told her otherwise, listing all the flaws with her supposedly genius plan. How would she get food, how would she survive, what would she do when it rained, what if this, what if that.

Her steps faltered, walking forward then taking those steps back. It was like a sick game of tug-a-war. Her sensible side moved her forward but her dark thoughts tugged her back.

Finally, she had enough. She opened her weapons pouch tied around her right calf and pulled out her wallet. She had 700 ryo. Enough money to buy some food and water in the next town over. From there she could get a part time job and rent a cheap hotel room. There she could train whenever she wasn't working and since she will be in a new town she wouldn't have to worry about her friends or family pulling her away from training for whatever reason.

This was her chance to prove herself to everyone. She could train her taijutsu and genjutsu. Sensei did say that she was greatly suited for it. IT would be like living as a mercenary. Going and doing as they please, earning money however they chose. Surely someone could use her help?

With new resolution she turned around and walked back the way she came, stopping by the bush that hid her favorite trail.

"Wish me luck." She whispered, a small smile on her face, the bush shivered in the breeze, its dropping plumage speaking in its swishing tongue. Sakura nodded, and walked down the trail.

* * *

The nearest town from Konoha was only ten miles away, approximately a five hour walk. The sun was setting its self down for slumber in the painted sky, and Sakura could catch glimpses of pink tinted clouds plastered onto a deep, blue ceiling through gaps in the trees.

When she reached the town, the sun's tip was testing the warm waters of the distant horizon. The vendors were either closing up shop. She hurried to the nearest vendor, and bought a little food to chew on. She ate as she walked, her eyes sharp for a hotel she could stay at.

Sakura walked into the nearest inn and asked for a room.

"I'm sorry," Said the old man running the counter. "There's a festival starting tomorrow and I'm booked with travelers."

"A festival?" Sakura inquired.

The old man nodded vigorously. "Yeah, the Summer Festival. Their will be games and food and dancing. To top it all off a grand fire work show."

"That sounds really cool!" Sakura thought it was the perfect way to celebrate her new independence. The gods of luck were surly smiling upon her.

"If you want." Said the old man excitedly. "The festival committee could use some help preparing the festival tonight and tomorrow morning. I'm sure that if you volunteer then someone might get you a place to sleep tonight."

"Really? Would they do that?"

He nodded, smiling. "I'm sure, in fact, my daughter Kana-chan is going over their right now. She's making the paper lanterns for the festival after all."

"I would really appreciate that."

* * *

Kana was a elegant woman, slender of build and long hair the color or honey. She did not speak much, mostly keeping to herself. She walked with poise and Sakura felt self-conscious walking beside her. Kana was a pretty sixteen year old and she was a awkward thirteen year old.

Kana wordlessly guided her through town to the village office and escorted her through the busy halls to the festival preparation room.

"Okura." Kana said to a middled aged man with heavy, defined features and a dark tan. "This girl wants to help, also she needs a place to sleep for the night."

Okura studied her for a moment, his eyes were deep set in his head, giving him a hard look to him. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"A bit young to be traveling by herself." He said more to Kana than Sakura. The elder girl shrugged and Sakura spoke up.

"I'll help out however I can! Please take care of me." She said with a bow. Okura told her to stand up and directed her to help Kana with the lanterns.

"We need a lot of lanterns," He said. "The festival boundaries were expanded this year. Need more lanterns to fill the new space."

Kana bowed and motioned for Sakura to follow her. She lead her to a table that was half piled with finished paper lanterns. Supplies lay in a mixed up pile on the remaining space.

"Organize the paper please." Kana instructed, sitting herself down in a tall stool. Her hands reaching for the paper and wood rods to start.

Sakura took to her task diligently. Being extra carefully not to damage the delicate paper. Secretly she would glance over at Kana, enchanted by the girls moving hands. She was a master at her craft, forming the paper and wood into its desired shape as if it was apart of her own body.

Sakura wondered if she could be like that one day. A great ninja who was one with her weapons. She imagined it while she worked. Her weapons would be extensions of her body, human and metal moving as one. Her fame would grow and everyone would know her name. Sasuke would have to knowledge her now.

She delighted upon her fantasy as she worked. When she finished Kana gave her a break, even letting her try to make her own paper lantern. Sakura had watched Kana make hers so her first attempt came out pretty good. One of the wood pieces was cracked though because she misjudged the bend of the wood and had to glue it back together. Also she tore the paper in a few places and she made the holes at the top and bottom too small. Kana examined her craft and said nothing, but a small smile was on the girls face.

Later, hours after sunset Okura came up to her and told her that she could sleep in the room, there were a few mattresses in the storeroom that she could use. Sakura thanked him and finished helping Kana as everyone left to go home.

Before Kana left she gave Sakura more supplies to make another paper lantern. The woman gave her a shy smile.

"There's a festival tradition here. That if a girl who works hard carries a lantern on the night of the festival and holds her lantern up to the sky during the fireworks that her wish would come true."

Sakura thanked her and then Kana too left. Sakura grabbed the mattresses and layed them out against the wall in a far corner, partly hidden by tables. She hummed a tune as she worked on her paper lantern, learning from her last mistakes.

The next morning Sakura proudly displayed her lantern on Kana's work table. The paper was a Cherry Blossom pattern on a light pink background. She tied the string around the top and attached it to the short stick that the lantern would hang daintily from.

Okura was the first one to come back. He yawned a greeting to Sakura and gave her the first assignment of the day. She has to pack the lanterns into boxes for the workers to carry. It was easy at first, for there was only a small trickle of workers coming in to take the boxes but soon things became hectic. It was only one hour to noon, the official starting time of the festival and everyone was rushing to make last minute repairs or adjustments. Sakura was pressured to work fast but still be careful not to hurt the lanterns. She had already managed to break five.

"You did good." Okura praised her as the noon arrived and everyone let out a sigh of relief. The festival had somehow pulled it's self together. "Here, workers get a pass that gets them some free stuff." He passed the card to her. "Show it at any stall and they'll give you most things for free, though you can only use it three times so think wisely about what you want."

Sakura was excited, since she was so short on money she didn't plan on buying anything from the festival but now she can buy herself some lunch and dinner. She thanked Okura and grabbed her lantern. She checked to make sure the tiny candle inside was secure and patted the matches in the small pack on her hip.

All set she left to go enjoy the festival.

* * *

Sakura blew on her hot bowl of soup. Cooling down the searing hot liquid, she spooned a little into her mouth, testing it. Still way to hot to eat properly. It was dark now, the only light coming from the many lanterns Kana made.

They lined all the streets, lighting the laid-back atmosphere. Sakura sat down a a bench in a small park near the village office. Lanterns hung from the trees and it was a spectacular sight. She could see couples walking under the trees, holding each others hands.

Sakura though about Sasuke, and how nice it would be to hold his hand under the bright tree. She quickly drank her soup, the lovey-dovey mood in the air making her feel uncomfortable. She decided to go back to the inn with the old man and his grand-daughter Kana. She wanted to thank them. Along the way she stopped at a stand selling sweet rice. She got some as a thank you gift.

She walked down the street and recognized some people from the festival committee. They told her that the fireworks were about to begin soon and that she shouldn't miss them. Sakura nodded and hurried down the road. She saw an alley cut through to the street on the other side. Thinking it would be faster she ran down it.

The alley was dark and the lanterns soft light stopped halfway down. She didn't panic, she could still see the light on the other end. Suddenly the light vanished as a dark object obstructed the path.

Sakura stopped as she started to get a bad feeling. This had trouble written all over it. She turned around but more figures strolled casually into the alley with her. They slowly closed in on her. She gritted her teeth and thought for a way out. She glanced sideways at the wooden walls surrounding her. She could run up then and to safety.

They were all male, in their six or seventeens. They all wore black but for one boy who sported a dark red jacket. She singled him out as their leader, he walked taller than the rest and had a huge cocky grin on his face.

She didn't waste a second and ran up the walls. Below the boys cried out in shock and she looked down to stick her tongue at them when their leader whirled a ball and rope over his head, shooting it easily at her. She jumped backwards but she was too slow. The object wrapped around her ankle and she was yanked downward.

Her bottom hit the ground hard and before she could react the boys jumped her, restraining her arms and legs. Their leader walked forward smugly, tugging on the rope.

"Told you this one was going to be good." He said to his gang. "She's a ninja for sure, just look at the headband on her forehead. What should we do boys, should we have some fun?"

Sakura growled with rage. She kicked out with all her might, but the boys grasps on her were too strong.

The leader bent down until his nose brushed up against hers.

"Want to have some fun?" He asked her, his vile breath earning him a look of disgust. The boys pawed at her relentlessly, hitting her each time she struggled to break free.

"Stop your crying you stupid bitch!" One of the boys slapped her. She didn't even know she was crying. She wanted her team her, she wanted Naruto and Kakashi. Most of all she wanted Sasuke.

The leader started tearing at her shirt.

"Oh?" He asked when he noticed her paper lantern. "What a piece of crap." He hurled her creation against the wall and it shattered.

"No!" She screamed. "Get away from me!" She was scared, scared of what these sordid males will do to her. She was a ninja wasn't she? Then why can't she save herself.

She was out numbered that's what. Her alone against seven. They had her pinned, they were too heavy to shake them off. If Sasuke or Naruto were in her shoes these guys would be knocked out on the ground already.

The sky exploded into color as the fire work show began. She could see the multi colored lights flashing in the sky above her. She wished she had her lantern, then she could wish it all away.

_'I wish things would be different.'_

"Hey!" A voice called out from the end of the alley. "You punk! Yeah you, red jacket guy. You knocked down that stand in the street."

The leader turned away from Sakura. The girl prayed that this man would save her.

"So what?" The leader spat. "They wouldn't sell me what I wanted, the food was crap anyways. Should have shaken up that old man."

"Because of you I had to wait for the street to clear." The man walked closer. "And I hate waiting."

"Wait on this bitch." The leader spun his ball and chain around the air, and threw the weapon, aiming for the mans face. The man disappeared as the weapon nearly hit him. In an instant he was behind the leader, a metal knife glinting in the dim light.

The sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the alley and the boys holding Sakura suddenly dropped her. Torn between attacking and running away, but their fear gripped them and the ran for it, fleeing from the alley and escaping in all directions.

The man glanced at her then walked away. Sakura called out after him but he was already gone. She picked herself up and examined her body. Despite her clothes being slightly torn and a few bruises on her arms and legs she was fine. Somehow.

She walked out of the alley, her thoughts reduced to basic instincts. She needed shelter.

Nestled next to a great oak tree and a picket garden was a homely inn, its manila paint peeling away from its sides, but not in a neglected way. Everything about the building looked aged and solemn, but kind and warm in return. Candles burned in the window still, inviting weary travelers to come in.

Sakura walked inside and felt better. The warm, scented air revived her from the shock. Dinner was being made, she could smell cooking bread making her mouth water. Her stomach grumbled loudly and a man next to her spoke.

"Did your mother forget to feed you tonight?"

"I don't need my mother to feed me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Sakura resorted.

"Of course." He said, exaggerating his voice. Sakura soured at his blatant mockery of her. "A child such as yourself can do anything they want to, dose your mother know where you are, little girl?"

"I am not a child." Sakura growled, keeping her anger in check. She would not let herself get rilled by this... man. He turned to examine her, his brown eyes studying her.

"Forgive me," He rolled his eyes. "It was my mistake, since you look like a child, sound like a child and act like a child I assumed that you were one."

"I don't have to talk with you." Sakura turned her nose to him, walking to the front desk with confidence. He followed her, standing patiently a few feet away. "Don't follow me." She turned to face him again, crossing her arms across her chest.

He rolled his eyes again, pushing his red hair from his eyes. "Are you going to check in or what. I hate to wait."

Sakura blinked, there was something familiar about those words. She heard them somewhere before, recent too. Her face grew red when she remembered that she was in an inn, looking for a room. She never felt so foolish and flustered in her life.

"Sweetie?" The proprietress spoke to her, a cheerful smile on her face.

"O-one room please," Sakura nervously stuttered, pulling her money out of her weapon pouch.

"Are you on a trip with your father?" The woman kindly asked, looking at the man standing impatiently behind Sakura.

"N-no!" Sakura shouted quickly. "He's not with me! I'm by myself, I just want a room... to spend the night in."

The red haired man stared thoughtfully at them. "Now I'm not that old." He said calmly. "I'm only twenty."

"Forgive me, young man." The proprietress laughed then spoke to Sakura. "I'm sorry sweetie but you must be at least sixteen to rent a room by yourself."

"But!" Sakura interjected.

The man came up behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Okay sis." He smiled down, crookedly at her. "Drop the big kid act, mom told me to take care of you. One double room for us please. " He smiled graciously to the proprietress. Sakura opened her mouth to speak but he squeezed her shoulder. She quickly shut up.

"Okay then, here is your room key, its room number 14 down the hall on the left, seven doors down. Breakfast is in the morning at 10 am. Enjoy your stay."

The man gave her a quick bow and guided Sakura calmly away. When they could no longer see the woman he took his hand off her shoulder.

Sakura stepped back, regarding him carefully. "What are you-"

"I got impatient." He said blandly. "I don't like to wait." He paused then added. "I was also curious, what's a child-"

"I am not a child."

"ah a... young girl... a young girl doing by herself?"

"It's none of your business."

"I would like to know, what if you are some wanted criminal? Or a killer with a huge bounty on your head?"

Sakura gaped at him. " A what? Me? If anybody is a killer here it's you!"

"I got a room for you."

"Yeah." Sakura stressed the word out. " A room with you. What's to say you wont kill me in my sleep?"

He put his hand over his heart and said seriously. " I vow on my life, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, that I will not kill you in your sleep-"

"or at all-"

He grinned. "Or at all. You're a clever girl, I can tell just by looking about you."

"I'm top of my class." She admitted proudly.

"Sasori."

"What?"

"My name, is Sasori."

"Um... okay..." An awkward silence fell between them as he stared intently at her,

"Well??" He urged her.

"Well what?"

"What is your name, I told you mine now you tell me yours."

"Oh um.... S-Sakura.... Haruno Sakura."

"Pleased to meet you Sakura" He grabbed her hand and escorted her down the hall.

"Hey, what are you."

He yawned. "I'm tired and I want to go to bed." He opened the room and walked inside. Kicking off his shoes and throwing himself down onto the nearest bed. He laid on his back, staring up at the plain white ceiling.

Sakura stood shyly by the door, not sure what to do. Should she trust this man? He looked at her curiously from the bed, his eyes meeting her own. He looked at her strangely, and acted as if he wanted to ask her something but thought better of it. Eventually he did speak.

"Why are you alone." He asked her quietly.

Sakura hung her head, staring at the floor. "I don't know.... I just got tried..."

"Of what?"

"Of being safe. All my life other people have taken care of me and protected me. Sheltered me from everything and because of that I became weak. My own team, my own friends don't think that I'm strong enough to be a ninja. My sensei always trained my teammates... and never me." Tears welled up in her eyes and her face was burning hot. What was she doing? Telling all this to a total stranger.

Sasori was silent and listened to her talk. Sakura sat down on the other bed, continuing her story. She told him about the trail in the woods by her hometown, the bush that hid it. She told him of the scholar she meet and the books he gave her. She told him how she decided to go of on her own and train.

He said nothing but his gaze never wavered. He seemed to stare off into space, thinking.

"I'm an idiot." She sighed. "This was a horrible plan, already it's not working. You heard that woman. You have to be sixteen to rent a room at an inn. If I'm to young to get a room at some inn then I'm probably too young to get a part time job."

"Probably."

Sakura wanted to pull the conversation away from her, she felt like she had talked about herself enough. "What about you. Why are you alone?"

Sasori leaned back in his bed, silent for a long time. "Because I choose to be alone." he said placidly. "Good night, don't sleep in." He turned over on his side and his breathing steadied.

Sakura envied him for being able to sleep so soundly so quickly. It wasn't for another two hours before she could find peaceful slumber. Her dreams were muddled with confusion and uncertainty. She heard a mumbling sound, like someone talking through a thick rag all throughout her dreams. She saw her mother and friends, they never spoke to her, moving about their day like ghosts. Completely forgetting about her.

She wanted to call out to them, to make them notice her. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Tears fell from her eyes, a feeling of uselessness washed over her like a cold rain, jarring her. She stopped crying, the mumbling sound in her ears rang louder, shouting at her.

"I'll be stronger." She told her friends, the mumbles. "I'll become so much more stronger."

Her dream slipped away, the mumbling voices reduced by the blowing wind outside the room window. She fell into peaceful slumber.

* * *

Sakura yawned, the bright morning sunlight warming her face. She stretched her arms into the air, released another yawn. She felt like the cat her mom kept for company, a fat little furball it was, all it ever did was sleep and stretch. She sat up, rubbing her eyes slowly.

"Sasori?" She yawned, turning to the empty bed not far from hers. "Sasori?"

There was no answer.

"Sasori!" She jumped out of bed, looking all around the small room. The red haired man was nowhere to be found. Dejected Sakura sat down on her bed, her knees curled up against her chest. She felt stupid, for trusting a total stranger. She should have figured he would have left her, but not like this.

She thought about her mother back at home alone. Would Konoha come searching for her? Sakura looked out her window, searching for the metallic glint of a Konoha head band. Most likely the village would send someone, her team maybe, to find her. She ran through the scenario in her head.

They would guess that she ran away or was kidnapped and then send out her team to retrieve her. What would Sasuke think? She moaned loudly, burring her face into the palm of her hands. Sasuke would think that she is the biggest weakling in the world for getting kidnapped or running away. She could tell him that it was to train but he wouldn't believe her. She moaned again, heart broken.

She had to keep moving, go to another town, a town further away from Konoha. This would be the first place a search party would look for her. The stupidity of her plan was coming back to get her. Suddenly leaving the village like that, leaving no notice or note. Telling everyone she was fine and was going to go train on her own. Not that her mother or friends would let her do that if they knew.

"Hungry?" A hand held a piece of buttered toast in front of her. Sakura's head snapped up and she saw Sasori, looking terribly bored. "What?" He asked her. "You don't like toast."

Sakura stammered. "I-I th-thought you l-left."

"Yeah," Sasori handed her the toast, taking a drink from the cup in his hands. "To go get breakfast. I told you not to sleep in. You missed out on a good meal."

Sakura looked away from him, embarrassed. She politely took a bite from her toast, savoring its taste. It was homemade bread made with some kind of minty tasting plant in it. The butter was homemade too and had a light taste of honey to it.

"You want to get stronger?" Sasori made light conversation with her, finishing the rest of his drink.

"Wh-what?"

"I heard you, talking in your sleep last night." He sat down next to her on the bed, the mattress sinking a little. "You said you wanted to be stronger."

"Oh..." Sakura remembered her dream, seeing her friends and something else... something she didn't quite remember but knew was important. "I want to be stronger." She spoke her mantra. "I want to be stronger..." Thoughts of the alley drifted back to her. How helpless she was to that gang of boys. There was nothing she could do. She hated her own weakness.

He thought quietly for a moment. "What do you want to do, besides becoming stronger?"

Sakura looked at him, unsure of what he was asking. Sasori sat waiting for her answer, his mouth drawn into a slight frown. She thought about traveling. As a ninja she would go to many places but then again she would never have the time to fully appreciate the places she would go to. "I would like to travel. I would like to travel and be able to enjoy the places I go to."

"That's good" Sasori nodded nonchalantly. "Going out and seeing the world, all the new strange places and people."

There was more to Sasori than he left on, Sakura decided and she wanted to find out what. "What about you, are you a traveler? Or are you really a criminal?" She added that last part as a joke but Sasori's face was drawn, serious.

"I am a traveler of sorts." He said slowly and walked out of the room.

"Wait!" Sakura followed after him, he glanced backwards at her. That cold look he gave her made her heart falter. "I... let me go with you!" She dropped to the ground, bowing to him. "Please! Let me travel with you!"

"No." Sasori kicked her head with the heel of his foot. She tumbled backwards over her head.

She got back up, bowing again. "Please." She repeated, "Please."

"Don't bow to me." He kicked her again, harder this time. Sakura clutched her head. She glared up at him, her eyes burning with resolution.

"Take me with you."

Sasori growled with impatience and wordlessly left. He paid for the room and turned to find Sakura following him. He ignored her and left the inn, glancing up at the hot sun. Sakura followed him out side and down the street until he stopped at the village gates.

"You won't stop following me will you." He glared ice at her but she did not flinch. She nodded and he sighed. "Fine, you can come with me, don't get in my way."

Sakura sported a grin. She followed behind Sasori and together they walked in silence.

* * *

Sakura awoke to the sight of a great horned owl swooping down at her, its soft tail feathers dusting the top of her head. She screamed and ducked, the owl gliding past her, its sharp talons snatching a rat. The owl beat its wings, lifting off into the still night air.

Sasori fast asleep against the trunk of a tree stirred slightly and was still. Sakura glanced shyly at him and stood up. She wasn't much for sleeping in the woods, especially without a sleeping back. So when Sasori told her they were camping out after hours of walking she wasn't entirely pleased.

Then they left town Sasori told her that he was going to Tea. He told her he justed wanted to know if it really had good Tea but she didn't think that was the entire reason. They took a popular road that would take them straight there.

Sakura stifled a yawn and stood up. She didn't feel tired, maybe if she went out and walked for a bit then she would feel better. As quietly as she could she left their small camp and walked through the forest away from the road.

The night forest gave her no trouble as she took a moment to take in the moon, smiling down on her. After several moments she started to feel cold and walked back, just as she just about reached the camp someone tackled her from behind.

Naruto grinned smugly at her. "We got you Sakura!"

Sakura struggled, kicking wildly. She landed a hit on Naruto's stomach and the blond let her go. She scrambled away from him.

"Sakura!" Naruto tried to grab her again, she slapped his hand away and jumped backwards, right into Sasuke. The stoic Uchiha grabbed her.

"Let me go!" Sakura demanded, glaring at her teammates.

"We're helping you Sakura! We were told you were kidnapped! We had to come save you."

She looked up at Sasuke. He didn't look at her, holding her loosely, like he didn't want to touch her. And hell did it make her mad. "Let me go." she growled, her fingers curling into a fist. "Let me go!" She repeated, her voice stronger.

"No."

Sakura shook in rage, she wasn't going to look weak in front of Sasuke. She grabbed his hand holding her and twisted it around. Pointing his palm forward and his body easily crumpled. He grunted in pain and she slid out of his grasp. Sasuke looked shocked for a moment but quickly covered it.

Rocking on her heels she rolled backwards, pulling kunai from her weapons pouch, and threw with lethal aim. Naruto and Sasuke scattered, evading her attack. She created a clone and split, going in two different directions. Sasuke shouted at Naruto and they chased after Sakura. Each one going after a different Sakura.

Sakura jumped up into the trees, moving fast and quietly. She created another clone that jumped back down to the ground and ran off, creating a false trail. Concealing herself in the tree, she held her breath in anticipation. Sasuke burst out from the bushes and saw the marks left where she jumped and he gazed up. He ran forward as saw where her clone landed and ran off. He didn't move for a long while. He was waiting, waiting for any sign that she was still there.

She stayed as still as possible, not even breathing for fear of Sasuke noticing. The boy retraced her steps, he had to be indecision. If he was connived the clone was her than every second he stayed there the farther she got but if it was a ploy then she would still get away.

Finally he chased after her clone, disappearing into the night. She exhaled deeply, and jumped down from the tree and ran back, being careful to not leave any tracks. She stopped to listen and heard the sound of metal clanging in the distance. She followed the sound and jumped over a log.

Two windmill shurikans whizzed past her, metal wire tied between them. The wire caught her and the shurikans twisted around her. Sasuke leaped down from the trees, his face blank. He grabbed her but set her down. Positioning her so she faced him. He stared at her and asked.

"Why?"

Sakura looked into his eyes and saw something she didn't recognize. Was it curiosity? Was he amused by her pitiful attempts to look strong? The feeling there wasn't mocking. It was more serious and thoughtful.

"I was attacked and almost raped. I couldn't do a thing, there were too many of them. They had weapons and I was pinned down. There was nothing I could do! If I wasn't saved at the last minute then... I don't want to depend of someone saving me all the time! I want to be able to save myself! I want to be stronger." She answered. "No, I just don't _want_ to be stronger. I _am _going to become stronger. As strong as you Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke blinked, unsure what to say. Sasuke grabbed her but she rolled away. Kakashi flew overhead, landing in front of Sasuke, blood staining his right arm.

Her head lifted her up and she watched her teacher. Kakashi coughed, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Sakura, come back with us." Her sensei pleaded.

Sakura couldn't speak, she shook her head. Naruto walked up next to them, looking absolutely pitiful. "I'm going to get stronger." She cried, hating the tears that fell from her eyes. "I wont go back until I'm stronger."

Suddenly it came to her. This wasn't real. It was a genjutsu. It was impossible that her team followed her all this way. It's only been two days since she left. They couldn't have found her so soon. She did the hand sign and released herself from the genjutsu.

"For a moment I thought I had to save you there." Sasori said coolly, watching her with one eye open. Sakura took her spot back by her tree and sat in silence. Sasori shrugged her off and went back to sleep easily.

Sakura really hated him for that.

* * *

Their trek continued for two days, and almost no words were exchanged between them. Sakura hated the silence, she wanted to talk or do something other than walk but every time she tried to start up a conversation Sasori would tell her to shut up.

Soon she grew accustomed to their silence, but she still did not like it. After walking all day in silence, night fell and they could see their destination.

The town looked like a bright eyes arachnid from the distance. The river streaming from its head its lanky limbs. Silver leafed trees whose name Sakura could not recall that moment greeted them as they walked into the village. The lights from villager homes and restaurants made Sakura's spirits soar. Using what was left of her money she bought herself a bowl of rice and chicken from a vendor and scarfed the food down, savoring the last few bites. Sasori found a cheap hotel for them and they brought a room for the rest of the night.

Tired and no longer hungry Sakura fell peacefully asleep in her own bed. Sasori however would find no such rest.

Sasori stood by the window, letting the curtains conceal him from the outside world. They were being followed and he did not like it. Their stalkers were patient, waiting for that right moment to strike.

When he left Sakura to find a hotel he left a false trail for them to follow. And it worked. Now he faced the real problem, who was tracking them?

The first possibility that came to his mind sent a cold child down his spine. He tried not to think about it but the words kept coming back to him, teasing him. They were dark and mysterious people. Masters of the one-hit kill and every criminal or rouge ninjas nightmare. Hunter ninja.

* * *

End

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Lot's of changes yes? Do you like them? Is this story even greater now? Well I hope so!

**Review! Review** now! Or else bunnies dressed like Might Guy will attack you in your sleep!


	2. Chapter 2

Tally Mai-chan: The exciting chapter two is coming to a computer screen near you. Are you ready? Then enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

Sakura woke up early that morning. She yawned, stretching her stiff arms and stepped out of bed. By habit she walked straight into the bathroom. Inside she shut the door and examined herself carefully in the mirror. Her eyes had bags underneath them and her hair was limp and greasy.

If Ino ever taught her anything then that was to take care of your body and keep it clean.

She washed her face in the small sink, doing her best with the lack of space. The bathroom could not fit a full size bathtub so a tall wash basin took its place. The basin came up to mid chest but was very small and cramped. She doubted she could fit comfortably in it.

She leaned over the top of it and ducked her head under the faucet. The warm water splashed against her head and she rhythmically ran her fingers through her long hair. She didn't have any shampoo or conditioner so she settled on just washing it.

She dried her hair and walked out of the bathroom. Sasori was busy with his own morning rituals, and Sakura watched him curiously.

He ran his fingers through his hair, freeing it from a horde of tangles. He walked past her into the bathroom and she could hear the faucet running. When he came back out he stood by the window. Looking out thoughtfully.

"We're almost to Tea country." He said shortly. "We could make the boarder in less than two days."

"Are we going to leave now?" Sakura fingered her worn clothes, she didn't have enough money to buy new ones.

"If at all possible."

Sakura stood thoughtfully for a moment.

"Can't we stay a little longer. I want to get some new clothes but I don't have the money. I was thinking about working part time somewhere."

"You can get new clothes in Tea." Sasori said blandly, walking out of the room. Sakura huffed and watched him leave. However the inn was not the most interesting place to be and she started to wander where he went off two.

She walked over to the window, and had an entire view of the street, she could see down both sides fairly far. She scanned the roads but saw no bobbing red hair.

Sakura started to fell nervous. He had only left moments ago, so he couldn't have gone far. Sasori would have told her if was going to be a while right? He would have told her.

She shook her head and layed down on the bed. She would just take a nap. She closed her eyes but she couldn't get Sasori out of her mind.

He was a complicated person. She doubt she could ever come to understand him.

She twist and turned in the bed, blaming her inability to sleep that she couldn't find a comfortable position. She kicked the sheets off her and paced about the room. She glanced periodically at the window and then chide herself right away for it.

How long has it been since he left? Five... Ten minutes ago?

She decided she was getting worked up over nothing, she just needed to distract herself until he came back. She was only antsy because she was board.

Her stomach growled and she smiled at the thought of food. A quick glance at the clock told her it was lunch time. Perfect.

Sasori could be eating lunch. The idea made sense. She hurried downstairs to the dinning area and looked around the tables, she didn't see Sasori.

"Would you like a table?" A waitress asked her.

Sakura paused before answering.

"Yes, table for two please."

"Right away ma'am."

The waitress sauntered through the tables and cleared off a small, two person table in the corner by a window. She came back to seat Sakura.

"What would you like to eat?"

"Just some water please, for now."

"Right away."

Sakura stared out the window, and gazed absentmindedly at the different shops across the street. There was a clothing store but it looked way beyond her price range. The store dolls dressed up in the finest clothes and latest fashions stood next to each other, their poses tall and graceful. They white blank faces looking down of those who ogled at them through the window.

Sakura was starting to eye the pink cardigan the one doll wore with dark, tight fitting jeans.

The waitress came back with her water and Sakura slowly drank, staring out the window the entire time.

In the street a group of kids played tag and woman did their shopping. It reminded Sakura of Konoha and sitting at Ichiraku ramen with Naruto and Sasuke. Different people, but same life style. She was proud to be a ninja. To her being a ninja meant excitement. Breaking free from that monotone life her mother lived.

She wanted to be able to get up in the morning and expect more than just cooking or cleaning or finding the best bargains at the store.

"Miss?" The waitress was back.

"Oh? Yes?"

"Well..." The waitress paused as she tried to find the best words. "You've been here for an hour... are you expecting someone?"

Sakura looked at the empty seat across from her.

"Yes... I am. Is there a problem?"

"No! No, never." The waitress bowed, apologizing, "I shouldn't have asked... would you like some food?"

"No thank you... not yet."

"I'll just refill that water for you..."

Sakura stared at the empty seat across from her. Where was Sasori?

Hours passed and he never showed up. The dinning area was filled with noise as the inn workers prepared for dinner. Once the waitress came up and chatted pleasantly with her for a while and Sakura appreciated the break from her loneliness.

Half an hour into dinner the waitress came back with a piece of cake, stacked with cream.

"Here, on the house." She smiled at Sakura knowingly.

Sakura looked at the cake, confused when she understood the maids sudden generosity. Sakura could tell what the girl was thinking now. That waitress was thinking that she was stood up and pitied her. Sakura did not feel like explaining herself and accepted the cake with a smile. Things were easier this way.

It was a good cake but it was heavy in her stomach.

"Somethings wrong." She said to herself. "Why hasn't he come back yet?"

'It's because he left you, moron. You saw how hesitant he was to let you travel with him! Of course he would ditch you the first chance he got! You don't need him anyways. You supposed to be training right?'

Sakura was completely hung over this one guy. She didn't love him, she would always love Sasuke and nothing would change that, but there was just something about him, something that pulled her to him like a magnet. She needed to grow up, she decided she wasn't going to be dependent upon people anymore!

As much as it made herself proud how strong will and devoted she was to her cause she had to live to get stronger. So that's where Sasori came in.

Traveling in groups was safer than traveling alone. When you are alone the easier a target you are, no matter how strong you may be, everyone is susceptible to an ambush. If he left her now then she would be forced back to block one.

Sakura got up, looking wistfully out the window one last time and decided she had waited enough. She thanked the waitress and walked outside in into town. It did not matter to her she had no real destination or clues to her goal but she had to start somewhere.

Sakura had walked the length of the street when she felt a presence behind her. She stopped and turned around, no one was there. The street was free of any crowds, only a few travelers or shoppers meandering about.

She was being foolish. There was no one behind her.

As she continued she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

The next street she wondered onto was not a street one would do their shopping in. Bars and gambling houses lined the street on both sides. Her face blushed when she realized this was the red light district of town.

Sakura glanced quickly down the street. If she did not see Sasori then she would leave right away. She rushed her search, and further down the road, nailed to the wall of a bar was a poster of a wanted person with red hair. She glanced so quickly over it that when she looked at it again she could hardly believe her eyes.

Curiously she stepped closer to get a better look. It was daylight so the district would not be that busy right? She walked over to the bar and saw the person on the poster.

It was Sasori. A a current picture of him, his hair and face exactly the same. She looked over the list and saw, written below;

_Akasuna no Sasori_

_Wanted for murder_

_S-rank criminal with high jounin rank skills_

_Cunning and mentally unstable_

_Capture Alive_

_1,000,000 ryu reward_

Sakura's eyes glazed over the picture multiple times. She could not believe it, that person... she slept in the same room as him!

Horror griped her heart, she thought he was just some traveler but he was really a killer.

Her eyes drifted back to the poster.

_'S-rank criminal.... jounin rank. He's a ninja!_'

She choked at the reward placed on his head. That was a lot of money... if she had that money could live comfortably for years! A tight knot twisted in her stomach. If she had that money she could train and not worry about food or a place to sleep.

But there was no way, just no way. He is an S-rank criminal wanted for murder! To get that high of a reward on his head he had to have done something horrendous. What if though.... she couldn't help but think of it. What if she caught him and returned him for the money.

She could achieve her dreams with that money and he was a wanted criminal! It was her job as a Konoha shinobi to turn him in!

Sakura tore the poster from the wall and stuffed it into her back pocket. She turned around and noticed a drastic change in the atmosphere.

A feeling of dread and doom pounded down on her. The stiff air draining her energy. She stumbled forward, dazed as the ground slid beneath her and she fell on her face. A hand grabbed her shoulder, jerking her up. A white mask sat upon a face like a second skin.

She kicked and rolled away from him, searing pain shot through her leg and she bucked. She couldn't find the strength to move. As she layed on the ground, fear rolled through her like a summer storm. You could see it coming, its dark clouds tumbling across a blue sky, and never stop it.

She tired to scream but the man covered her mouth and something pricked her arm. She squirmed and saw the needle sticking out of her skin, its sharp metal needle sunk all the way into her .

The world spinned around her, blurring into a medley of color and light. Swirls of color danced around her and she was enchanted by it. The light grew brighter and brighter as it grew into a white void that swallowed her up entirely. She welcomed the void.

* * *

"Wake up Sakura! Wake up dammit..... I said wake up!..... Dammit...... DAMNIT!! Kakashi-sensei! When is Sakura going to wake up!"

"Give her time Naruto. She had a very difficult task to do, the hardest task of us all."

"I had more chakra! Dammit! Why didn't I make her let me do it! She was already exhausted!"

"It can't be helped. That girl is just too stubborn."

"Wake up Sakura.... come back to us, please."

A sharp noise, metallic and threating jarred her awake. She jumped, ready to defend herself. She flopped forward on the ground, her hands and legs bound together by taunt rope. She pulled and twisted but the rope was too cleverly tied to be squirmed through.

She scanned the room. It was some kind of storeroom. A stack of brooms rested up against the wall near her head and piles of crates were pushed off into one corner. The dirt floor was littered with broken shards of glass and rusted metal pipes.

Her bag and weapons holster were gone. She pattered her back pocket, the wanted poster was still there.

The door creaked open and the dim room was flooded with light. A masked man walked in and placed a tray of food on the ground. Bread and water.

"Who are you." She demanded, curling herself up, like a cat ready to pounce. "Why am I here?"

"It matters not who or why, it's all the same in the end." The man said cryptically to her. "I trade people the things they people they are interested and you my dear, are in the interests of someone."

"What the hell are you talking about!" She snaped. The man laughed and kicked the tray closer to her.

"Why don't you let me worry about that and you keep up your energy and eat."

Sakura looked from the tray to him. "I can't eat with my hands tied."

The man wordlessly walked to her and cut the ropes around her wrists with a flick of his knife. Before she could move he kicked her back.

"Don't try any funny business. We want to keep you alive. Konoha never likes it when we return their things... damaged."

"Who are you!"

He turned and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. The mask had two eye holes for each eye but no eye ball could be seen. Only darkness. "We are... the Hunter Ninja."

"No...." She cried, "no...."

The door closed and the room was dark.

Hunter Ninja... the Ninja worlds most elusive and secretive group. They were masters of the human body, knowing its each and every weakness. The could kill with one strike, fast and painless or they could let you die a long and painful death.

There was no way she could fight them. She was only an inexperienced genin. She wasn't on some mission with her team. She couldn't depend on others help. She only had herself.

She stared at the food siting innocently on the tray. Her stomach growled and she wondered how long she was out for? She tested her hands, turning and flexing them. Her hopes of breaking the rope ended there. She shivered as she felt the dirt that hardened on her face. Her once red shirt was stained a dingy brown.

Pulling herself to the tray she reached out for the bread and bit into it. It was plain bread, partially burn on the bottom and had almost no taste. She scarfed down the bread, and grabbed for the water, draining it in two big gulps

Satisfied she curled up into the corner of the room, it was cold and her thin clothing did little to nothing to block the cold. She rubbered her bare arms, enticing heat back into them.

The paper crinkled in her back pocket and she pulled it out, Sasori's blank face staring at her. She wondered where he was. The poster said he was a jounin rank ninja, if he wanted he could easily reach Tea Country. It was only a day and a half trip, nothing to a jounin.

Mentally Unstable. The words jumped out at her. Sasori was such a complex person, playful one moment and cold the next. What scared her the most was that he let her travel with him, he bought a room for her. What sort of things did he do when she was asleep? Was he planning to kill her? She would never know.

Something wet landed softly on her hand and she saw she was crying. She touched her fingers to her eyes and wiped away her tears.

She was not going to be taken advantage of, nothing will get in the way of her training. She folded the poster back up and slid it back into her pants. The cold seeped into her skin despite her efforts to stay warm. She had to get out of here, somehow.

* * *

"Wake up girl."

Sakura groaned, her eyes fluttering open.

It was the masked man from before. He laughed at her as she struggled to get up on her feet. She struck out with a clawed hand and he side stepped out of the way. His hand shot down, landing a painful hit to her back.

Pain recoiled and she slumped to the ground, wriggling in pain. Roughly he pulled her arms behind her back and tied her wrists back together, binding them with an iron chain. Next he cut the rope around her legs and heaved her onto her feet.

She resisted as the man pulled her from the room. She braced her foot against the door. The man laughed at her atemps and hammered a fist to the side of her head. Sakura screamed an the man pushed her all the way through.

Every time she tried to resist he would hit her, harder and harder each time.

"Tell me somthign girl." He asked her casually as they walked. The hall way was long and dimmly lit by weak florescent lights. The steel walls were streaked with rust and water stains, the whole place smelled damp and musty. "Why did you leave your village?"

She didn't speak. She wasn't going to tell this man her plans, she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

"No speaking are you? Well, makes no difference. You're just a weak little ninja in way over her pretty little head."

Sakura turned and bit his head.

"Why you little-" The man pulled a kunai and slid the metal across her cheek. Sakura squirmed as she felt blood drip down her face and onto her shirt.

"I'll kill you."

He man laughed maniacally. "I'd like to see you try."

He forced her outside where a group of other masked men waited for them, Sasori chained behind them.

The Hunter ninja threw him down at her. Sasori landed with a hard thunk and did not move. His wrists were tied in front of him, a paper tag with the word 'bind' on it. Another tag was placed on his back, the same word written in blood.

With great labor he lifted his head, looking from Sakura to the Hunter Ninja.

"We got a good catch this time." The man that held her stepped forward, his hand petting Sakura. She growled and the Hunter chuckled. "Feisty, but the real prize is you.... Akasuna no Sasori. Your village is paying a lot of money to whoever takes you back. Sadly we have to keep you alive, same for you Konoha genin. In a few days we can get a nice ransom for you."

"Aren't Hunter Ninja supposed to work for the village that hires them?" Sakura glowered, she was not going to be ransomed back to her village. "To protect the village's secrets."

The Hunter laughed, "We aren't Hunter Ninja girl. We're rouge ninja, we wanted money and this is the best way to get it. A rough ninja's greatest fear is Hunter Ninja right? The master stalkers and killers. We just act the part and everyone fears us."

Sasori sputtered something incoherent. The fake Hunter Ninja kicked him in the gut, smiling as Sasori spat out blood.

"Did you say something? I suppose not, I doubt you have the energy to speak. We banged you up pretty good huh?"

Sasori was still. His brown eyes lackluster and sweat plastered across his skin.

"Sasori." Sakura crawled next to him, she couldn't do much tied up but she had to try.

He gazed up at her through half lidded eyes. He started to speak but the rouge ninjas cut him off.

"We have a journey ahead of us." The rouge laughed. "And a big profit of reel in."

Sakura let them drag her off. The hunter ninja studied her closely, his mask hiding his true intentions. Sakura hid her thoughts behind a weak and willing mask of her own. If they thought her the weak genin then she can play the part. Their plans were doomed to fail for she had her own agenda to fill. She would be the one to get the last laugh.

* * *

"I need to use the bathroom." Sakura whined loudly.

The rouge ninja she was tethered to rolled his eyes. He had taken his mask off hours ago, and she didn't blame him. The summer air was hot and sticky and he was constantly wiping his brow. The air felt mild to her as she grew up in Fire Country, the country where summer dominated most of the year with warm winters and cool springs.

"We're almost to the next town, go there. Besides, you've been going all day"

Sakura squeezed her legs together, her eyes squinted shut "I can't hold it in, I _need_ to go _now_."

He sighed and walked her off to the side of the road, pulling her into the bushes, the rest of the group walked on.

"Go fast." He ordered her.

Sakura looked at him crossly. "We've been over this. I can't go with you watching."

The men groaned in frustration, his hands hurrying to undo the tether. "Don't even think of running away. I'll catch you and make you regret you were born, bitch."

Sakura said she understood and picked her way through the bushes. Once she was sure he couldn't see her she squat down and started her search. She checked all the bushes, hoping for that one plant she needed. This was her last chance to find it before they got on the boat to Wind Country.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the pale pink flowers, small and dainty like on their steam. Sitting in neat rows on all sides. She quickly searched the plant and under its flowers sat tiny red berries, their tips dipped in black.

She stuffed the berries down her shirt, sliding them into her bra. She manged to hide a few in the pockets of her pants. She patted herself down carefully, so as to not crush the fruit but making sure they could not be seen.

"Are you done yet!" The man yelled. She answered and walked calmly back. When he had her carefully tied to him again hit her across the head. Spots flew across her vision and he yanked her back to the road. She could see the rest of the group far ahead. Her eyes found Sasori. He was tied to two ninja, one on either side. Their rouge ninja's leader walked ahead of them, he was the only one still wearing his white mask.

Once oddly chatty the man was quiet, nervous almost. Sakura thought it was the real Hunter Ninja that worried him.

He walked unhindered into town while she and Sasori were forced to walk around to the coast and wait by the cold waters for the boat that would take them to Suna. They were put down on the beach and watched carefully. Sakura could feel the berries still inside her shirt and sat as still as she could. She concidered herself lucky the they only hit her head and not the rest of her body.

The sun was hot. The sand burned her legs and a dull throbbing feeling inside her head grew into a growling monster. She closed her eyes and dealt with her pain, she needed to be patient. Soon these guys will drop their guard around her.

Around the beach,crushing against the waves came their boat. Slowly sliding over the water.

The boat was small and rusted all along the bottom, the words painted upon the hull nothing more than strange markings like another language. Herded like sheep they stepped onto the tiny boat as it trudged out to sea.

The open sea was hot and the salty breeze did little to ease the sticky burning heat of the sun. Next to her Sasori was in worse condition. The rouge ninja feed him small doses of poison as a sedative into his body. Blood oozed from an open wound on his arm and one eye was stuck half closed, a violent purple mark throbbing around it.

Sakura thought she could see land along the horizon but as the little boat came closer it would vanish, appearing again moments later, far, far away.

The sea trip was long and tedious, the rouge ninja did not talk to them and hung out in the hull of the ship except for one that was tasked with watching them. Their Leader was in the small wheelhouse the entire time, occasionally he would eye Sakura and Sasori, looking for any sign of trouble in them.

When land finally came into sight along the horizon and she was sure it was not another delusional fantasy created by the heat Sakura swallowed hard. She had to keep her cool but now, as her pipe dream plan was slowly becoming reality doubt buried its sprouting seed inside of her.

The small boat easily slid up to the beach and the rouge ninja guided them off, pushing the small boat back out to sea.

The sun was starting to set and Sakura overheard the ninja's talk of settling down for the night. They soon got into an argument when one wanted to keep going. The argument escalated into a fist fight between two rouges. The others cheered them on, hooting and hollering.

Sakura saw an opportunity and taking her chance she edged closer to Sasori and bent her mouth down to his ear. He stirred slightly.

"Don't eat the berries."

He looked curiously up at her, blood dried on his swollen lip, and nodded.

The fight was dispersed by the leader. He told them to quit acting like morons and to get a fire going. He walked over to Sakura, cutting her bindings.

"Make yourself useful." He gruffed, smacking her across the head, knocking her down into the sand. "Make our dinner, don't eat any of it unless we tell you to." He handed her a bag of rice and some canned red beans in gravy sauce.

Sakura nodded meekly and grabbed the pot placed next to the newly born fire. She started to boil the rice, opening the can with a bottle opener. She glanced sideways at her captors, three were talking amongst themselves in hushed tones and their leader watched her.

She thought about how to slip the berries into the mix but with him watching her there was no way she could do it.

The warm smell of the beans were like a clock ticking away slowly. She had to act now, another day and the berries would start rotting, giving off a putrid smell.

She stirred the pot slowly, and when the leader turned his head to add his opinion to the growing debate beside him she slid her hand into her pocket and pulled out the red berries.

The leaders head turned back around but she couldn't hide the berries fast enough. She panicked and knew it was all over, she would never get a chance like this again.

"Raaaaaagh!"

Sasori lept over the fire, his head crashing into a rouge's gut. The four men instantly jumped on him and Sakura understood what was going on. Sasori was creating a distraction for her. As fast as she could she unloaded the berries into the pot, stirring them thoroughly into the mixture. The gravy sauce covered the beans perfectly and she pulled the pot of the fire.

Sasori's little display had the rouge ninja in a rage, they beat him mercilessly, one giving him another black eye.

Sasori grunted and fell to the ground, panting heavily. His energy spent. A respect for him rose up within her, despite everything they've done to him he still could mange to attack them. She was thankful for it.

When they were sure Sasori was put down they took the pot from her and divided up the food. Reluctantly they gave Sakura a small bowl full.

She pretended to eat the food and couldn't help but smile to herself as the rouge ninja wolfed down the food, consuming it entirely in a matter of seconds.

They burped and joked about like savages. Paying no attention to her. Sakura tipped her bowl over into the sand, kicking it around until the sand covered it entirely.

The rouge ninja's got their last laugh in for the night and kicked out the fire, they layed down on the cool sand and slept soundly, one snoring. Only one was left awake to watch over Sasori and Sakura.

Sakura layed her head down on the sand, noticing that Sasori was already sound asleep. Sakura smiled and held in her chuckle.

It was end game.

* * *

The rouge ninja's strangled cries of pain woke Sakura from her sleep. She saw two vomiting in the sand, retching out their innards. A rouge jumped her, his fingers curled around her neck strangling the life out of her. She fought back, kicking him off her. He howled like an injured animal and pulled out a kunai, the metal falling into the sand as his eyes glazed over, his mouth open in a silent moan of death. His eyes slid into the back of his head and he fell to the ground, dead.

The same fate followed for the others. The leader glared daggers at her, his mouth spitting out his last breath.

"You witch."

Sakura smiled sweetly at him and soon his eyes grew dark and his body was limp. Sakura felt no pain of regret as she saw the dead bodies littering the sand.

As a kunoichi she was taught how to poison food or a drink. She could remember her classes very well. She distinctly remembered Ino's disgusted face as their teacher talked about the different affects of different plants. The Rosary Pea berry was fatal in even small doses. Even just a tiny portion, if chewed and swallowed, is toxic enough to kill a full grown man.

She rummaged through their belongings, and found her weapons holster, all her weapons still tucked orderly inside. She clipped the familiar weight back into her thigh and continued her search. In total she found three canteens of water, and a bottle of solider pills.

A soft moan whispered in the silence and Sakura turned to face Sasori. He watched her through squinted eyes, his purple markings turning pale and ghost like under the soft half moon light.

Wordlessly Sakura grabbed the wanted poster from her pocket, staring at it blankly before opening it and showing it to Sasori.

He said nothing but his jaw was clenched tightly. Sakura felt like she had to explain herself. Why not? She pretty much told him everything about her.

"I'm going to turn you in."

His gaze was even, as if he expected it.

"It's nothing personal..." She thought for a moment. "Then again it might be. Why didn't you tell me you were a ninja? An S-rank criminal wanted for murder nonetheless. Do you enjoy lieing to people? Did you enjoy lieing to me? Hah! Let's lie to the young girl who can't take care of herself. She won't mind, no one cares about her anyways... dose she even have a name? Who is that girl hmm?"

She couldn't hear the insanity of her own words. She couldn't hear her high pitched and hysterical voice. Sasori was calm, his eyes darting from her to the poster. His faced changed, it was calm and meaningful.

Sakura snapped at him. "Why won't you say anything! Say something dammit! Am I really not that important? I'm so trivial that I don't need to know anything." Tears spilled from her eyes and she screamed out her pain. She screamed and screamed, she could scream forever but the dry desert would sponge up her pain like water in an oasis.

Sasori watched her madness, not speaking.

"Don't ever look down on me!" She screamed, "Don't you ever dare! I'll become stronger! So strong no one would ever, ever! Look down on me, ever again! Do you hear me god? Do you hear me Sasuke? I'll be stronger than all of you! I swear on my life!"

Dried of all her tears she curled up on the sand, unable to fall asleep. She had to stay awake anyways, in case Sasori tried to escape. She shifted so she could watch him. He was turned away from her and she bore holes into his back.

He was asleep in moments, like nothing had happened.

She really, really hated him.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Ah and the plot thickens! So what do you guys think? What do you think will happen? Is this story good or bad? I need answers people!!!

So review! Review now!


	3. Chapter 3

Tally Mai-chan: Hey guys, a semi important message here for you all. I've noticed that you guys are having a problem with my longer chapters. I personally want to write longer chapters, no the 7,000+ word first chapter was a stretch for me to match up to in the second chapter so I'll be aiming somewhere between 5,000-6,000 words.

So I really hope that you keep reading my story and not judge it too soon. So here's chapter 3! Enjoy!

* * *

Sakura drank the last of the water from her canteen and shielded her eyes from the sun. Her skin was red and burnt and itched something horrible but she just had to put up with it for now. Her suffering was going to pay off soon enough. Her eyes gazed out around her, what was before her and what was behind. Vast, endless desert stretched all around her and it felt like no matter how far she walked there was no end to be found.

Beside her Sasori coughed violently, and fell to his knees. She tried not to pity him, for she was in his position not days ago when the rouge ninja had captured her. Forcing down her pity Sakura tugged on the chain tied to his arms and he staggered back to his feet.

"Do you.... like... being... a bitch." He wheezed at her. His burning eyes glaring daggers into her. Sakura gazed coolly back at him, surprised she could remain so calm.

"Do you like being a murderer?"

An awkward silence fell between them and Sakura did not really mind. She needed to focus on finding a way out of this goddamn desert before she died of hydration. Wiping the sweat that accumulated on her brow she walked on, her fingers clutched tightly around the chain.

In the distance she could see palm trees and an oasis of water, and when she got closer they would vanish. Sakura was stunned, it was her first time truly seeing an optical illusion of the desert. It was the light reflected through the denser heated air, created inverted images like water. It was easy to know this but she felt foolish for having fallen for it.

She knew almost nothing about desert navigation, she had no compass to guide her and she was out of water. Soldier pills gave a great burst of energy but gave little of the nutrients she needed to survive, much less the nourishment Sasori needed. He was in worse condition than she was and he needed to be returned to his village alive for her to collect the reward money.

She wiped sweat off her brow, cringing as the burnt skin stung and she panted like an old dog trying to cool of. This heat was too much for her, it got no where near this hot in Konoha. She scanned the horizon and off to the left, and like a guiding beacon, was a tall rock structure. She squinted her eyes, it looked real. She hoped it was.

The rock structure was real. Five feet tall and smooth on all sides, giving them enough shade to cool off from the evening sun. Sakura started to worry about night fall. Before when they were by the beach the night was cool but here in the dessert it could get to almost belowvfreezing.

"You... have no... clue... where you're.... going..... do you?" Sasori panted, falling face first into the cool sand, relishing the shade. He gave a great heave and sighed contentedly.

"I can figure it out." Sakura shot back irritably. "It can't be that hard."

"What? Did you... read a book.... or something?"

She bridled.

"Oh? Was I right?"

Sakura glared at him. "Book's can teach one a lot of things."

"Boring."

"Books are too good for you anyways."

"Oh yeah, because paper... with words on it... binded together... is so much... better than me."

"I don't have to listen to you."

Sasori propped himself on his elbows and crawled stiffly to the rock resting his back against it. Sasori was a not a foot from her and Sakura. She scrambled away from him, wanting as much space between them as possible while still staying in the shadows. She manged at least four feet, if she moved any more then the sun would be on her and after walking under that burning star all day she would take this criminals company than it.

He gave her a dry look "You are turning me into my village for money. I think you could be a little nicer to me. Let me talk to you, save my sanity."

She was, by no means, comfortable with turning someone in for money. She justified her position that he was wanted for murder and that he was bound to be turned in anyways. If it were up to her she would work hard for her money, and not by selling another human being.

She was curious though. "What do you have to say?"

He stared thoughtfully out into the desert. His eyes focused on the distant horizon. Sakura noticed that his one eye was healing and he could open it wider. She imagined one black eye was hard enough but two at once? The skin was an ugly purple color that stood out significantly against his fair skin. She would have been horrified to get a wound like that. His other wounds were healing as well except for the cut on his shoulder. The deep cut bleed continuously and hardened, only to open moments later and ooze more blood.

The wound opened again as he sat up and she felt a pang of guilt. Slowly she walked over to him. He ignored her, or appeared like he did. He made no move to stop her and she took his indifference as a sign she could could come closer. She pulled out bandages from her bag and started dressing the wound.

"My village considered me, the greatest thing to ever happen... since the third Kazekage." He said quietly.

She nodded politely and started slowly wrapping the wound. His brown shirt overlapped the wound and was stained entirely red around the injury, making it almost impossible to tell between flesh and cloth. As carefully as she could she pulled the cloth away from the wound, trying not to hurt him more than he already was.

Sasori paused to watch her work, and continued his story. "They gave me whatever I wanted, but I did not want material possessions. I wanted to be alone, but they kept pestering me. So I left. I didn't tell anyone about my departure, not even my grandmother."

She stopped her work. "But you killed someone! It said on the poster you're wanted for murder!"

He spat on the ground. "I told you. My village practically worships me. They would say anything to get me back. If I was really wanted for a murder big enough to give me a one million reward they would have me killed on sight. Not alive and returned to my village."

It made sense to Sakura now that she thought about it. She lifted his arm to warp underneath it and tied off the bandages. She gave her work a through check, making sure that her sloppy work would be good enough.

She sighed and laid back against the sand. "It's better then being the weakest, unwanted one." She said dryly, her voice heavy with self disgust. "At lest you have people who _want _you around. Not even my own team wanted me, I was just someone who got in the way all the time."

"Is that why you want to get so strong?"

"... yeah."

Sasori's hand wrapped around her neck, his body on top of her, forcing her down into the sand. She gasped in shock and grasped his hand, pulling vainly against it. His grip was too strong to break and his crushing weight gave her no leeway to crawl free. She saw the chains he wore, broken on the sand.

"What should I do with you." He mused aloud. "Maybe I should return you to your village for a reward. But then again, if you're as unneeded and trivial as you said then I doubt I would get anything for you." He paused, thinking. "I could kill you. It's easy to dispose of bodies in the desert. Just leave you. The scavengers would find you and pick the meat off your body. And when you are nothing more than a pile of bones the desert will swallow you whole. Sounds fun dose it not? To be eaten up the elements?"

She coughed, her lungs burning for air. Her feet kicked around, and bounced off the rock wall. The kick rocked them, throwing Sasori off balance. She slapped his hand off her, crawling out from underneath him and lept backwards.

She cried out a savage roar and charged him, her fist connecting with his stomach. Sakura cursed under her breath when Sasori turned into a pile of sand. A sand clone. She rocked back on her heels, pressing her back against the rock. She checked her left, then right, below and-

"Up here!" Sasori jumped off the rock wall, and kicked at her. She rolled away, her eyes catching sight of a white scroll on his hands. His foot connected to the ground and a shower of sand sprayed up into the air. Sakura shelled herself from the sand and watched as the air cleared. Sasori watched her, his eyes focused entirely on her.

"I'll show you why my village loves me so much." He tore open the scroll and Sakura braced herself as the smoke covered Sasori. She stood strong, not faltering as his summon made its appearance. A humanoid battle puppet with a large barrel chest made of a dark wood loomed high in the air.

The puppet's mouth lowered and reviled a pipe. By a silent command of Sasori's fingers the puppet clicked like an overgrown beetle and needles shot from its mouth like spittle.

Sakura's hands flew through the hand signs as the needles hit her. Her body vanished in a puff of smoke, nothing but a small pile of sand where she stood. Sakura watched from behind the rock. She had to think of something fast. It wasn't like she was in a forest or town where there were unlimited places to conceal oneself but in the desert, hiding was not an option.

She had a faint idea of a plan, desperately searching through it for holes or possible chances for a counter attack to come. The setting sun meant night and cover but she did not have to time nor means to wait for it.

The puppet swung around the rock, manipulated by Sasori's chakra strings. It's wooden hand dislodged from its socket and a long dagger ejected from its side. Sakura dodged as the dagger whipped past her ear and the puppet swung around to meet her. Face to face she kicked its wood chest, using the momentum to flip backwards. She skidded back, careful of the distance between her and it.

The puppet arched through the air. She did not dare to take her eyes off it for one second, she gulped down her anticipation and-the puppet moved. Her eyes did not see it right away, but before she could react the puppet was there, in front of her.

Several things happened at once. The knife on the puppets arm moving towards her painfully slow, her own body trying to dodge. Sakura could see visions flashing before her eyes, but it was not her life she saw, but clear, vivid images with sound of something she had never seen before.

_A metal tail, its tiered layers ending int a curved triangle, poison dripping from its point. The tail whipped through the air like a scorpions. She ran right at it, unafraid of falling before the metal tail. It stopped just short of her skin, her jaw clenched as she ran around the tail._

"_Now Sakura! Break into it!"_

_Her fist shot forward and with amazing force broke the armored mask of the puppets back. _

A giant sound like the morning cry of a falling tree, crushed and splintered pieces of wood flying through the air around her. All happening in that next moment. She screamed, clutching her raw knuckles, holding the raw skin to her chest.

The desert landscape spinned across her vision. She crashed into the ground, her head throbbing with new pain. Adrenaline mixed with fear brought her head up. Sasori walked calmly to her, his face cruel.

Her fear took over, turning her into a wild animal. She could not lose. She could not die. Ignoring her pain she lashed out, using her nails to scratch whatever she could. Sasori slapped her aside, and she rose up again.

He was beside her in an eye beat, his leg pulled back. She could not dodge the inevitable attack and took its full force against her abdomen. He pinned her against the sand, wrapping his hands around her throat, forcing her to submit.

"You destroyed by puppet." He did not hide the malice in his voice. He was holding himself back from killing her, she knew. Her chakra was exhausted, and her body pushed to its limit. There was no getting out of this for her.

"You... tried to.... kill me." She choked.

"You were going to turn me in for money."

"....Now we're even...?"

"Not. Even. Close." He leaned down, his white teeth gritted together as he decided what to do. "I should kill you, just payment for breaking my valued puppet. But maybe, I could replace you with it."

His backed off, his fingers loosening their hold on her. Sakura breathed deeply, gulping air

"I can't die." She said.

He scoffed at her. "Everybody dies. Nothing lasts forever."

"I can't die... until I become stronger. I refuse."

He strangled her, his hands squeezing tighter and tighter. Her mouth gaped for air, hr body flailing about, trying to get free. Sasori stared blankly into her eyes as her vision tunneled, a black circle slowly closing in.

"Empty words." He mocked her, releasing his hold.

Immediately she sucked in air, panting heavily. Her head flopped back, unable to keep it up, and she could feel the sand worm its way into her hair. A lot of things passed through her mind, like how she was going to wash all the sand out but there was only one thing that mattered to her. She was still alive.

"It's impossible." She cried, her own wretched pitifulness stabbing her heart. "No matter what I'll never be strong. I can say it all I want, but its as you said, they're nothing but empty words. I guess you have to be born strong. If you're not born that way then its hopeless for you. Screwed from the beginning." She laughed, how ironic fate seemed. "I've been trying all this time but it was hopeless from the beginning."

Sasori wasn't impressed by her speech, not that she expected him to be. He probably never cared about her at all, she was just some annoying girl.

"How did you destroy my puppet." He said, his voice calm and even. Somehow that scared Sakura.

"I... I don't know. I just, suddenly knew what to do. Almost as if... I've done it before."

"So you have fought a puppet master before then?"

"N-no... I haven't. You're... the first one."

Sasori's brows knitted together and he frowned. "It doesn't matter. You destroyed my puppet and you will pay me back for it." A sly grin crossed his face. "I'll simply have you replace my old one and once I either build a new one or you simply out live your use then I'll just let you go. If you stay alive that is."

"You can't-"

Sasori hushed her, slowly standing up on his feet. Pulling her up with him.

"I'm afraid that you have no choice in the matter."

* * *

Sasori was a puppet master. Someone with unmatched chakra control and precise coordination. Puppet masters were not only exceptional ninja but artists and crafters as well. They can create their own puppets. Wooden battle weapons limited only by their users imagination.

With innate knowledge of poison and traps they make powerful ninja and strategists.

Sunagakure, village hidden in sand, is famous for its powerful puppet masters, Sasori among those greatly respected ranks. Since the sand village started losing funds from Wind Countries daimyo the village has stopped producing its once feared puppet masters.

Sasori's coming to his village was like . It was expected that his village would fuss over him so much. Forcing him along the path of a puppet master. It was this unwanted attention that eventually drove Sasori from his own village. Hoping to find solstice in traveling.

There was something missing from his life even then. Like he wasn't living up to his full purpose. Everything felt wrong to him, he found happiness in nothing. His life a void.

He knew he was destined for something great but for what he never knew. It was all one big mystery to him that he needed patience to figure out. He had no patience.

* * *

"We're right back where we started. "

"I told you to shut up."

"I don't think I will."

"Stubborn girl."

"Hmph."

Sakura walked behind Sasori, keeping a good distance between each other. Sasori's hand would flick to her if she tried going back any further. Ready to attach chakra stings on her at a moments notice. They were standing along the beach the fake hunter ninja brought them too. The burnt remains of their fire still lingering on the damp sand. Sasori took a few steps into the foaming surf, his eyes gazing the vibrant horizon.

Sakura watched the sun set across the ocean, wondering why there were back here of all places.

"You don't see that boat those rouges had do you?" Asked Sasori nonchalantly. Sakura didn't see any boat, nothing but empty ocean. Sasori shook his head. "Oh well, we'll have to go on foot then."

"Go?" Sakura asked. "Go where?"

"Bird Country."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Bird country? But thats on the other side of that freaking desert! You can't be serious!"

"I am." Sasori walked out of the surf, kicking the water off his feet. "It's the most unpolitically involved of all the other countries."

"But it's across the _desert_."

Sasori shrugged. "It also is not in an alliance with Wind, meaning my village can't send people there after me. Also it has no ninja village so the real Hunter Ninja can't get me there either."

"The desert!!" Sakura groaned in exasperation. She barely survived her last trek into the desert. Angry she sat down on the sand, her chin raised in a stubborn show of will.

"Quit being such a brat." Sasori scolded her, his hand touching her head. She leaned forward but he was too fast. His fingers dug into her scalp as a warning, there was no tolerance to be had. "Now I'm going to start walking and you are going to follow me. If I have to wait for you to come then I will not be very pleased. At. All."

Sasori turned and walked into the desert, paying no heed of the chilled wind blowing from the east. In less than an hour the temperature would drop below freezing. Sakura wondered how he could survive against such cold, much less how he tolerated the heat.

Sasori walked fast and was twenty feet away when he stopped to check if she was following him. Sakura took several small steps to him, uncertain of the emotions in her heart. She didn't want to be a slave to this man, but she did not want to die either. Sasori scowled and flexed his hand. The chakra strings he placed on her tugged and she was yanked forward. She collided with the ground and with a shaky knee pulled herself up onto her feet.

She had no choice. It was either live or die and she wanted to live.

Sasori nodded approvingly and they walked across the flat desert. The desolate land only broken by a cluster of cactus.

"S-Sasori." Sakura said before thinking, her eye catching sight of something strange.

"What."

"Are cactus supposed to move?"

"There aren't any cactus this early in."

Sakura stopped.. "Then what is that?" She pointed off to the side. Sasori followed her line of sight. A cluster of green cacti moving towards them, wriggling and jerking like scarf in a strong wind.

Sasori moaned loudly, his palm meeting his forehead. "I'm blaming you."

"Blaming me? " Sakura stared at him incredulously. "Blaming me for what? Are you a child or something?"

The cacti were steadily inching towards them. Sakura could clearly make out their mechanical movements. It the distance she couldn't make out their shape properly. The half moon giving them little light to go by. The cacti were angular, and had sharp straight edges.

They stopped a few feet from them, their robotic dance still in motion. Sasori tensed beside her and motioned silently for her to move closer. Her eyes darted from him the cactus and she did as he instructed. Sakura resisted the urge to move away when his fingers touched her. His chakra strings reinforced and with a raise of his hand she moved.

It was weird being controlled by someone else. Strange how her body moved on its own accord. She felt award as Sasori pulled her into a natural fighting stance, ready to defend or attack.

"I know the person who use these particular puppets. He is good but I'm better. The spikes are connected to an internal electric current."

"What?!" Sakura gaped at the cacti gathered before them. There was four of them in all, and small metallic spikes protruding from all sides. "How do we fight them?"

Sakura felt the chakra strings tug on her, forcing her to crouch low to the ground. She tensed. Behind her Sasori took a deep breath.

"Leave it to me."

The cacti facing them went rigid and froze for the tiniest fraction of a second before their metal spikes shot out of their spot, too fast for Sakura to see, a blur of movement when she was jerked into the side, rolling across the ground. She ran forward, dodging attacks she couldn't see.

Adrenaline pupped through her veins as Sasori moved her across the battle. The moon, sand flying, a metal spike lodged in the sand, glimpses of the fighter flying past her eyes. Pain jarred her fingers, time slowing long enough for Sakura to gather her bearings.

Sakura's fist connected with one of the puppets arm, leaving barely a chip in the wood. She took in the battle field, all the puppets were still standing. No spikes on any of them. She shifted her foot back, getting a foot hold when it touched something half buried in the ground.

The electric shock she received burned her shoe, and skin. She yelped, pulling her foot back. She looked down and saw the metallic spikes, hundreds of them littering the ground around her.

The puppet swung its heavy arm around to hit her and Sasori rolled her out of the way, then jump back into the fight. He was on the offensive now. Sakura's hand pulled back and she punched the puppets. Was Sasori insane? She wasn't strong enough to hurt the puppets! It was a total fluke before!

The cactus puppets ganged up on her, using intricate combination attacks. A cactus hit her in the stomach, another attacking her open back. Surrounded she had nowhere to go, even Sasori could not get her out unscratched.

The pain was heavy all over her body, leaving black bruises. She was taking more hits than she could handle. If it wasn't for Sasori controlling her she would have fallen way back in this fight. Sakura was afraid, was Sasori just going to let her get beat to death?

Her eyes meet Sasori's, somehow, through the cactus puppets. She pleaded to him, to get her out, she was so scared. He had a plan, but she wasn't going to like it. His brown eyes asking her if she was ready. Sakura nodded. She dropped to the ground, her leg kicking sand up into the air and scrambled underneath one of the puppets.

She rolled onto her back, halfway under the puppet and she saw a single metal spike still attached to the back of the puppet. Before she could understand its meaning she reached up and grabbed the spike. She flinched waiting for the shock and when it didn't come she yanked on it with all her strength and the electric current ran through her body.

She tried to let go of the spike but her body would not listen. She screamed for it to stop but she kept going. She stood up on her feet and ducked below the back handed attack of a puppet. She ran forward, the spike griped tightly in her hand.

She couldn't hold on, the pain was too much for her. The pain numbed her hands, and she lost almost all feeling. She grasped onto whatever consciousness she could muster. Just as when she gave up the pain dimmed. Her hands were empty. Her hands shook, and shakily hugged her self. Sweat drenched her body and blood dripped from her face and arms.

Sasori stood in front of her, watching her silently.

"We won... just so you know." He said to her. "You better be alright, that electric shock wasn't enough to kill you, knock you out for sure but not kill. You shouldn't have held onto it long enough for that to happen though."

"What...happened? Are you trying to kill me?"

He sighed deeply. "I just said that it wouldn't kill you, listen to me why don't you. I had you attack the puppet master controlling the puppets. The more puppets you use the harder it is to control them. Those cactus puppets were very complicated, could only move certain ways and had very limited flexibility. So to control four of them at once is a difficult task. So difficult that the user is dependent upon that first attack, the electrical spikes to take out the opponent. Otherwise fighting normally with those puppets would leave the puppet master wide open for attack.

"I had you take a spike and throw it at him, you missed by the way, but it distracted him long enough for me to finish. You need to work on your skills. Pay more attention to what is around you, I can't control you perfectly. Living puppets like you are twice as hard to manipulate than normal puppets are."

Sakura wheezed as her mind reeled around that last battle. She could recall hardly any of it. She stood up when she felt confident she wouldn't fall back over and turned to Sasori.

His face was expressionless. Her head throbbed and she felt her forehead. She moaned as her fingers prodded a large bump. She was bruised and bleeding all over. Just imagining how she'll feel tomorrow made the pain twice as hurtful.

"Let's get going, the worst of your wounds is the bruising but you can still walk." Sasori said bluntly, walking off. Sakura groaned as she rubbed her stiff cold body. She watched Sasori's back as they walked and saw their difference in power. Sasori was only a few years older then her and the difference in skill was monumental.

How in the world did she manage to go up against this man and live?

Sakura's sore body gave her hell for wanting to move and her eyes were drooping. Suddenly tired she dropped to the ground, the sand a very soft pillow. Under the darkness of her eyelids she could dream. Dream of a world where her desire to be strong was more than empty words.

Somehow, she felt like that world was an reality, somewhere.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Yosh! Chapter three! Was it good? Did you like all the fighting hmm?

Please, as readers of my story I ask you to review. Tell me what you like! Tell me how you think I could improve! Your imput can greatly affect the quality of this story! If you love it then tell me why! If you hate it then say so!

You can help this story grow by your reviews alone!


	4. Chapter 4

Tally Mai-chan: Hey everybody! Love the reviews you gave you for chapter 3! I'm really glad you all liked it!

Some of you have been saying that you think Sakura is too weak. Truthfully I'd rather have a weak character than an over powered one so I've been trying to find some balance with that. So bear with me as I;m trying to work out my writing style and the characters.

Chapter 4

* * *

Sakura was vaguely aware that she was being carried when her eyes fluttered open. She watched a pair of sandaled feet step heavily on rugged sand. His, she was sure Sasori was carrying her, lose black pants ending just below his knees. With jealousy she noted how his skin hardly looked burnt.

Every bone in her body grated together as he walked. She felt like she had been stuffed in a sack and thrown off the Hokage Cliff in Konoha. She closed her eyes, the hot sun burning her through her clothes.

Quiet suddenly she was thrown down, yelping in pain as she landed. Sakura bit pack her pain, methodically rubbing her sore arms and chest.

"You're awake I see." Said Sasori dryly, leaning over a short, squat cactus. He didn't wait for her response and with his knife he cut a small cactus in half, carefully picking it up around the long spikes and holding the freshly cut brim to his mouth, drinking deeply.

"Is that... water" Asked Sakura, finding her mouth very dry.

Sasori cut another cactus and held it to her mouth. "Its a type of cactus that stores water inside it." He told her. She drank all the water from the cactus bowl, wishing that it had been a bit more full to satisfy her thirst. Sasori grabbed a few of the cactus, breaking off their spikes and shoved them into her hands.

"Make yourself useful and carry these, we've still a ways to go before we get through this desert."

Sakura struggled to her feet, juggling the cactus pods in her hands, afraid of dropping one and breaking it, losing all the precious water inside. The pods very light and very smooth. It would be easy for them to slip from her hands.

Sasori continued walking forward, confident in his sense of direction. Gazing out at the miles of sand dunes around them almost made her faint. She would be dead if it weren't for Sasori.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" She caught herself asking before thinking. Sasori shot her an annoyed look, as if asking if she really dared to say that.

"I grew up in the desert, I think I know more about it than you do."

"Yeah but what if-"

He waved her off, like one would swipe a mosquito off their hand. "Will you just shut up and follow me. We'll be in Bird Country buy next morning."

She looked at the sky, the sun burning down from right above them. That meant walking the rest of the day and possibly well into the cold night. She moaned in exasperation.

"That negative attitude of yours." Said Sasori slowly, giving her such a low, unamused look that it was almost sarcastic. "Will rub off me and we'll never get out of this desert."

"Well forgive me for wanting to walk right back into the desert, after leaving the nicer beach. Oh wait, that was you."

"Your point is?"

Her face reddened with anger but it was unnoticeable, for her skin was already burnt a bright red color. "You're such a child! Blaming me for your problems!You said you grew up here right? So you know the dangers don't you!"

He huffed slightly, turning away from her. Adding "Yeah, and you're a big worry wort who complains all the time."

She really wanted to yell at him for that, and deny everything but she felt like that would be playing right into his hands. She would take the high road and act like an adult, unlike him. She would keep her mouth shut and say nothing to him, even if he talked to her directly. She also wanted an apology.

He would never give her that apology though.

After walking for hours in the hot sun Sakura felt like and looked like a cooked lobster fresh from the pot. Her suffering was partially satisfied when she noticed Sasori turning red as well. No longer fair skinned.

The water cactus were all gone and a quick survey of the desert showed no promise for any more. Nothing but empty, dry desert around them. She had managed to keep her vow of silence to Sasori. The red-head occasionally glancing back at her, sometimes surprised at how quiet she was.

Sasori never acted like he ever wanted her company, he was really a distant person in her opinion. She would have liked to talk with him if he was able to speak like an adult rather than some spoiled child. He was older than her! He should be the more mature one.

She wondered this many times as they walked. It was tedious and boring and she found herself thinking of the most trivial and unimportant things. Things like what kinds of clothes she was going to buy the next time she went shopping with Ino, or if Tenten would teach her how to get her hair into those perfectly shaped buns like hers.

She forbade herself from thinking about food. It would only be more painful on herself if she thought about all the foods and water she could have if she stayed home. Her mom would make her favorite meal and she would have ice cream for desert. Vanilla with whipped cream and two cherries on top.

She did not want to think of food.

When they finally stopped late at night she fell to the ground. She could not believe how stiff and sore her body was, not even in training back home was she ever this sore. Her skin burned against every grain of sand it touched. She shifted to lie on her back. Still uncomfortable for her clothes touched the burned skin right by it.

Sasori was poking his hand through the sand, searching for something. He looked around a cluster of cactus, a few of them that water cactus that they both thankfully drank from and after several moments found what he was looking for.

It was a long thin leaf that spanned out the length a persons hand at the base and gradually thinning out into a point. Sasori bit the tip of the leaf, spitting the green part back out into the sand and smushed the plant between his fingers, a thick mustard yellow paste squirting out from it. He took the paste and rubbed it onto his burnt skin, rubbing it throughly.

"What are you doing." She asked, genuinely curious. It too little to late when she realized she broke her vow.

"It's a plant, similar to Aloe that acts like a coolant for sunburn. I'd give you some but I don't think there's enough plant to cover you lobster girl."

"Ha, ha." She spat, very angry. He gave her another leaf anyways. She did not thank him for it. And mimicked his actions, biting off the tip of the plant, it tasted horrible in the indescribable sense, and she spat it back out. The awful taste still lingering.

The paste was disgusting to look at but the moment it touched her skin she felt instant relief. The paste cooled her hot skin and she sighed. Relived of her pain for a blissful moment.

"You could have just broken off the tip with your fingers." Said Sasori with a light chuckle.

"You could have said that sooner." Said she.

"It wouldn't have been able to see that face you made."

"You're such a child."

"And you a brat."

"I'm not that brat here." She fought back indignantly.

"Of course you're not." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Give me some more of that plant." She said quickly, the coolant in the was paste wearing off, and some of her skin had yet to feel its relief.

"The plant will die if you take all it's leaves."

"I don't care."

"I do you plant murder."

"Shut up!"

"That's my line."

"I'm not the one being a rotten kid!"

"But you didn't say please, whose the rotten one now?"

"You're so infuriating!"

"Thank you."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment!"

"I'll take it as one anyways."

Sakura howled with frustration, Sasori teasing her for it, now calling her a wild animal. She gave up. It was impossible to win against him, he was just too stupid and childish. She turned her back to him, but as she tried to forget he was there other things started to pick on her mind.

Like the cold wind, the chilling cold settling into her skin and bones, how hungry she was, absolutely starving, and her stiff, sore body.

"I suppose..." She said after a long silence between them, "that you wouldn'y know about some edible cactus we could eat?"

"Nope. But there are always lizards. They taste the same raw or cooked."

"I'm not eating lizards." She said flatly but they both knew that she was hungry enough to eat just about anything. It still sounded disgusting.

"You're going to freeze of you stay away from me."

She eyed him tiredly, wary at his sudden change of topic.

"I was fine last night." She said stuffily.

"Yeah but you were passed out and I was carrying you, thus still sharing body heat. I don't like to be cold." He added as a persuading after thought.

"Then build a fire."

"There's no wood."

"Use the cactus"

"It's too wet and would only smoke."

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to die of cold."

He chuckled amusedly. "If I die then you will be stuck out here, in the middle of desert with no idea how to survive."

She said nothing, not wanting to admit him right in any way. He shuffled closer to her, resting his back against hers. She wanted to put up a fight but his warm body started to take of the chill in the wind.

Giving in she closed her eyes, not helping but to shift closer to him, getting as much heat as possible. Her eyes closed and she settled in a state of awareness and sleep, not fully awake but not fully asleep either. Eventually she dozed off lightly and found some rest.

* * *

Sasori woke her up the moment the sun started to peek over the flat horizon. Sakura rubbed her eyes, feeling very cold and both welcoming and dreading the rising sun. She itched her arm and to her annoyance her skin started to peel off. She plucked lightly at the shredded skin,causing more to lift up as she tried to pull away the rest.

"Don't do that." Sasori stopped her. "Wait until we're in Bird to do that."

"But if feels so filthy." She squirmed, feeling that dead skin covering all over her body.

"Then go ahead, peel of that dead skin, that way you'll have fresh new skin for the sun to burn.."

"..."

"Now we need to keep going, we're almost to the border." He paused suddenly, his eyes darting from dune to dune. "Don't let your guard down." He said in barely a whisper.

She nodded slowly and stood up, following behind him across the dunes.

The sun rose higher in the distance and a wind storm whipped up the air around them, a spiraling vortex of sediment dancing around them.

"I think we should stop and wait it out!" Sakura shouted above the wind. She knew enough about the desert to not move in sandstorms. Sasori refused for them to stop. He continued walking straight through the storm. Waving her aside, not caring at all.

"I know where I'm going, it's a light storm, you see the sediment around us, is it not a small amount for being surrounded by sand?"

Sakura did not understand his question right away. She couldn't see for her hands were shielding her eyes from the flying lose rock. She peeked through a gap in her fingers and looked around her. A lot of the sand was staying down on the ground, only the small particles thrown up by the wind.

"The soil is changing." Sasori explained. "The further we keep going the more solid and stable the ground becomes." His hand shot back behind him, waving frantically for her her to get down. Sakura hesitated a second before dropping down, laying flat against the sand. They had just reached the edge of a tall sand dune when Sasori gave the signal.

He joined her on the ground beside her, swearing profusely under his breath.

"By god we were lucky." He said breathlessly. "Border patrols, fifty feet away. The sand storm hid us. The sand storm hid us." He repeated.

"What do we do?" Sakura asked, not daring to peek her head over the dune. Her hair stood out so much, she would not be the reason they were spotted. The wind storm was dieing out. Gone as fast as it came.

Sasori covered his eyes with his hands, rubbing his temples. "We wait. I used to do these patrols, back when I was a genin. It's a D-rank mission involving one genin group and two or so chunins. It's basically standing around watching the sand shift. I'm glad I only had to do it once." He chuckled slightly.

"How long are we going to wait here? It can't be long could it?"

Sasori shrugged, settling into the sand, placing his hands behind his head. "Possibly until night, these missions are a two day sort of deal. You go out noon the first day, stay the night-thats our best chance to sneak past- and they change with another group noon the next day.

"Siting... out here... until night?!? What about food? What about water!?"

Sasori frowned at all her questions, finding them rather annoying. "You can live without water for another day, it won't kill you. And as for the sun, waiting until night. Just think about it like sunbathing. Girls like to do that don't they?"

Sakura could hardly believe the words coming from his mouth. She wasn't some monster like he was! She was covered in dirt, dead skin and had sand in places she'd rather not. In the past day she was beaten in battle twice, the day before abused by the rouge ninja that captured her. And almost raped a few days before that!

How the hell did her life get so freaking complicated! All she wanted was to train but somehow get kicked into a dog fight for survival. And worst of all she was stuck with this childish man, if he wasn't stronger than her she would have socked him right in the jaw.

This was way beyond her.

Tears started to well in her eyes. For a moment she didn't want to cry, for tears were a sign of weakness but then she didn't care. She was weak already and so much crap has happened to her this past crapfull week.

"What." Sasori noticed her, making a sour face at her. "What are you crying about? It's not the heat is it."

"I don't need to tell you." She sobbed, wiping away her tears, imaging the way she looked now. Her hair was a tangled mess, her skin burnt, and covered with filth. Her clothes were torn and faded, a hole worming its way bigger and bigger on the front of her pants.

"What's wrong with you." Said Sasori, none to empathetic.

"Everything!" She snapped back, gasping the sand and flinging it at him. He jerked away as his hand stretched out slightly, his fingers itching to grasp around her throat. She didn't care if he was going to hurt her. She didn't care anymore. "I hate being filthy, I hate this stupid desert, and most of all I hate _you_!"

He huffed, "Suit yourself. You don't have to like me, you just have to be my puppet."

Her teeth bared as her legs twitched. She wanted to hurt him. She hated him more than anyone else. She wanted to hurt him for all the pain and suffering she has gone through this past week.

"Before you start something you'll regret later. I suggest you remember our situation... you're hair is easily noticeable, even from a distance."

Sakura caught his drift, glancing past him to the sand dune that hid them. It was tall but had a shallow slope that if she sat up higher than a few feet her head would be sticking out right above it. She scowled, clutching clumps of sand between her fingers.

She cooled down, imagining that it was Sasori's face she was crushing, not just plain sand.

And so they waited... a long, painful wait. Nether of them talking to one another. Sasori fell asleep and she was left burning in the sun. Another long day.

* * *

"You ready?" Yawned Sasori, scratching the sand free from his red hair. He rolled onto his stomach and crawled to the top of the dune, resting so his eyes just glazed over the top. "Don't worry about your hair, it has enough sand in it to look brown."

"Don't say that to a girl! I try to take really good care of my hair! I swear that where ever we're going when we get out of this freaking desert will be somewhere with shampoo and conditioner!"

"Relax. There's a town in Bird not far from the border. I'll treat you to dinner too."

"You better." She hissed, joining him at the top of the dune. "So what's the plan." She asked, seeing the border.

Trees. Tall, green trees, lining the dark distance. A living wall against the wilds of the desert. Her spirits soared at the sight and anticipation grew madly within her. She wanted to hear the sound of leaves blowing in the wind, to smell the forest scents of a wood.

Sasori pointed to a small fire, a group of shadows huddled around it. "Night watches are never taken seriously." He said, pointing off to the side where the dune dipped down, lifting up to start another dune. "We'll crawl over there, and straight forward to that dune right in front of it. We'll crawl from dune to dune until we reach the forest. From there its a straight shot out."

"Why can't we just charge straight through? It's nothing but a group of genin and a few chunin right? If the Sand Village can't get to you in Bird why sneak around like this?" Said Sakura matter-of-factly. Sasori sighed, shaking his head at her.

"This is why you'll die without me. Yes there is only genin team there but there's a reason why they're right their specifically and not elsewhere." He pointed past the woods, far to the left. "There's a ANBU post not far over that way. Genin are given border patrols so close to an ANBU base because it gives them training and discipline. Also in case of a real emergency all they need to do is send up a flare that each of them have and the ANBU would be here faster than you can blink. Now I don't know about you but I would rather not get into a fight with a squad of ANBU."

"..."

"Let's roll."

Crawling on their arms and knees, they steadily made their way down the slope of the dune, Sasori stayed back for her to take the lead.

"So if we get caught you can make a dash for the border." He said.

"I'm surprised. I didn't know you could be nice."

"They only want me. They'll kill you in a heart beat and you still owe me."

"Well, jeez, I feel special now."

"Focus on not getting caught will you."

Sakura recalled everything she knew from the academy. All the techniques and ways for remaining unseen when one dose not want to be found. She silenced her breathing, take long quiet breaths. She felt for her balance, making sure one step was not to heavy.

They were at the next dune. The fire coming closer and closer. She tried to steer away but Sasori waved for her to keep going. Then they were twenty feet from the fire. Within hearing distance of the patrol group. She could hear their free conversation, oblivious to the two crawling past them.

The adrenaline pumping through her blood made her forget about her sore burnt body. Her eyes fixated on the fire, watching.

One of the blacked figures by the shadows stood up, peeling away from the bright light, and walked straight to the dune Sakura hid by.

Many things flooded through her mind. Were they spotted? We he coming to attack? She pressed herself flat against the dune. The man, sluggishly turned before her, walking between the flat of two sand dunes. If he looked to his left or right(Sasori was on the other dune the man stood between) then they would be found.

The man readjusted his vest, a gray chunin one, and rubbed his eyes. "Gawd I hate patrols." He grumbled turning to his right.

Sakura's heart jumped up into her head. "We're found!" She thought. Thinking it was all over. She rolled onto her feet to run when a hand grabbed her around her mouth, jerking her back. Sasori put a finger to his lips, signaling for her to be quiet.

Sakura stared at him wide eyed. Looking back at where he was just moments before. Nothing but a bulge on the smooth dune slope. Almost like a pimple.

Sasori held his hand over her mouth longer. The man was still there, standing with his back to them. Sakura felt uncomfortable with Sasori so close to her, his chest pressed into her back. It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The man gave a long sigh and walked, rather slowly, back to the fire. The others talking loudly amongst themselves.

Sasori took his hand off her and pressed her to keep going. Sakura thankfully crawled free of him. Eager to be free of the desert. The line of trees was ten feet away from them. But there was their next problem. They were at the edge of the dunes, ten feet of flat earth between them and freedom. The fire twenty feet from them.

It was only genin and a few chunin, they were all distracted and clearly not paying attention but Sakura felt sure that this was going to be dangerous. She turned to Sasori, as if saying "what now?"

Sasori crawled up beside her, whispering low into her ear. Making her shiver. "We make a dash for it, go fast and don't stop. Even if you don't see me keep going. The town is due north here and not far."

She nodded, preparing for the run. She had glanced at the fire for only a moment when Sasori dashed ahead of her, a blur of black against the night blue. Sakura stumbled after him, getting her balance as she cleared the last dune and putting all her speed into that next kick off. Going from desert to woods in under a second.

She felt the urge to look back and see if they were found but Sasori told her to keep running. She couldn't see him at all, nothing but dark woods around her. She ran. As quietly as she could she dashed through the forest, jumping from tree branch to tree branch. Sasori told her the town wasn't far away so she just had to trust him on that.

The damp smell of moss, the feel of wood on her skin. The soothing sounds of the insects at night. Sakura missed it all. She swore to never go into the desert again, if she could help it that is. When her training is finished and when she returns to Konoha, she'll put it up with the Third Hokage for her to never go on missions to the desert.

"Over here!" Said Sasori's voice.

Sakura stopped and looked around, not seeing him anywhere.

"Oy! Down here girl!"

She looked down and saw the prominent frown on his face.

"The town is this way, now come on."

She jumped down and followed him. She was out of the freaking desert.

* * *

"I so call the bath first." Said Sakura the moment they got inside of their room at a small inn. She beelined for the bathroom, and locked the door behind her.

Three other inns, _three_ of them had turned them down at the door for they looked like a pair of hobos. She had to practically beg the owner of this inn to let them stay. Saying that they'll look better when they(she at least) washed up.

Her hair was a tangled rats nest. Her skin peeling off in many places and looking more and more like a shedded snakes skin. Her clothes were the worst of all. Ripped and torn all over the place. Her once red shirt and blue pants now brown and a darker brown.

She shed her clothes and some skin and immediately started to clean herself. She thanked the gods that this inn had a proper bathroom with a place to wash and a tub to soak in. She grabbed a sponge and throughly rubbed herself down, having never felt this good in ages.

"You're taking to long," Sasori pounded the door, emphasizing his impatience. "I don't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm taking my bath, so buzz off." Said Sakura, pouring a bucket of water over her head. And started on her hair.

"Hurry up, or I'm coming in whether you like it or not. You're not the only one here who cares about hygiene."

"It sure didn't bother you in desert."

"We're not in the desert."

"Just give me a few more minutes." She grabbed a towel and started to rub herself down and wrapped it around her..

As she was contemplating weather to soak in the bath or let him in Sasori kicked down the door and she saw his burning eyes before-

Sasori kicked open the door, grabbed her, and none to gently tossed her from the room. "I'm taking my turn, you look clean enough."

"Pig!" She shouted, shacking her fists vainly in the air. If only he was there to see it. She laid back on the bed. Grumbling to herself about bratty men. She enjoyed the bed while she could. For there was only that one bed(it was cheaper for a one bed room than for a two bed one) and she was going to sleep on the floor. She remembered the towel hanging around her body, the small cloth just barely coving her.

She would need new clothes, immediately. She was not going to put back on her dirty old ones. The ones she have been wearing for a week.

She noticed a strange spider crawling down the wall. Her eyes almost not spotting it for it was pure white, blending with the white wall, and had a round shape to it. Its legs were flat and it had two eyes.

She realized this was not a normal bug and knew that it was something very bad but before she could react it exploded. The heat and smoke sending her tumbling back over the bed and down the other side. The wind knocked out of her. She quickly scrambled to her feet, taking in all the damage done.

The entire wall separating the room from the bath was gone. Jagged edges like sharks teeth lining the wall frame the only proof a wall was ever there. The bathroom, or what is left of it. Was gone. The porcelain toilet and sink a pile of rubble where they stood. Water flooded the room from the bath, a whole side missing.

"Sasori!" She called, not seeing the red-head anywhere. "Sasori!?!"

While Sakura was in the room, Sasori was outside on the inn roof facing another problem.

"Who are you." Said Sasori, not to anyone standing on the roof with him but to another in the air.

The blond man smirked, pushing aside his bangs that covered his left eye, reveling a mechanical scope.

"You're Akasuna-no-Sasori right? Hmmm." The young man said, sitting atop a white bird unlike any other. Sasori could tell it wasn't anything real and living.

"And if I am." Sasori responded, coolly staring the man down.

"Such intensity. Guess you didn't like my art, yeah. You would appreciate it if you understood it."

"Art?" Sasori scoffed, taken back that such a crude display of skill was considered art. The man frowned as he saw his reaction. He seemed even more taken back that somebody dared to look down on his art.

"Yeah, hmm. Art is a bang. An explosion. Living to its fullest potential and dieing. Ever growing old and useless." The blond man spoke enthusiastically about his art, like there was nothing greater, nothing more outstanding or worthy of his attention. "I can give you another demonstration if you want, yeah."

Sasori shook his head. "That is not art. It is nothing more than senseless destruction."

"Oh? And just what do you think about art, hmmm!?"

"Art." Sasori paused, giving a stern glance to the blond. "Is eternal. Outlasting the trial of time and living forever in perfection."

"My art is true art, yeah." The blond said heatedly, his hands moving to two black pouches hanging at his hips. "My name's Deidara, yeah. And I'll show you why my art is best!"

The blonds hands shot came up, a white substance in them, his closed his hands, his fingers grinding as he molded the substance in his hand. When he opened his hands two more white birds, in miniature of the one he flew on, sat on his hand and threw them.

Explosions could be heard all night in the border town of Hanakure.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Cliff ending! Dun-dun-duuuun! Deidara makes the scene. Review to find out what happens! I need reviews! I live off them you know. They're my life source to don't deny me them!


	5. Chapter 5

Tally Mai-chan: He,he. Chapter 5! The story gets more promising doesn't it? My thanks to everyone who reviewed! It seems you're all excited about Deidara showing up. How will he affect the story? Who knows! (well I do but I'm not saying)

Chapter 5

* * *

Sakura felt the vibrations of the explosions from inside the ruined room. Scared she clutched her towel closer to her body. Her old clothes burned along with the rest of the bathroom. She knew Sasori was still alive. There was no way he would get killed from that.

She picked her way through the rubble to the open wall. The cold night air making her shiver. She heard two mumbled voices, talking to each other high above her. She glanced up and saw a man standing on a large white bird. The bird was malformed in a way, its body smooth, and its eyes two black hollows.

"This has to be the guy behind those explosions." Said Sakura to herself. Just so the man on the bird started throwing something at an unseen opponent. More eruptions rocked the building and she was nearly thrown out into the air.

She crouched down and hid behind the remains of the bathtub, watching the battle. Was it Sasori fighting him? She didn't recognize the man on the bird. He wore a shinobi head band on his forehead but what village he came from she couldn't tell. He was too high up to see him properly. He didn't seem to notice anything but his opponent.

Sakura was sure that it was Sasori fighting him. The bird man was so focused on the fight and Sasori was a challenging opponent so it had to be. She peeled away from the scene. More eruptions rumbled and paster from the ceiling fell.

She had to get out there and help Sasori. Even she could help in this situation. She didn't need Sasori. Sakura dashed out of the room, ignoring the people congregated out in the hall, holding on to each other and sharing frightened stories. Sakura dashed though the first open door she found.

There were two woman inside, picking up scattered clothes and other person items from the floor. One screamed as another explosion sounded.

"Excuse me!" Said Sakura, trying to be polite and kind. Friendliness turned into awkward silence as the saw she was only wearing a towel. "But please, if I may borrow some clothes.

The one woman, older and with a kind face, her brown hair tousled spoke first. "Sakura-chan? Is that you girl?"

Sakura lost her cool, stunned into silence. Their eyes bore into her and she spoke. "Y-yes... Do I know you?"

"Ah you used to come to my restaurant in Konoha. The Tempura shop." She paused slightly, blushing at Sakura's indecency. "W-hat are you doing here?"

"A-A m-mission!" Said Sakura without thinking. "I'm on a long term mission... I need some clothes, to-to cover myself with. My... uh... partner needs me to back him up." Sakura felt terrible lieing to this woman, someone from her own village. She tried to tell the truth as much as she could without reviling the real truth. The last thing she needed was Konoha coming to get her.

"Here." The woman grabbed a short, green yukata. "Take it and good luck on your mission."

Sakura thanked the woman. Took the clothes and fled back to her room. She wished she stayed back there to change, for the open wall could let anyone see her naked. A n explosion told her she had no time to be fretting over such a thing.

Swallowing her pride she let the towel drop and quickly pulled on the yukata, wrapping it tightly around her. Tieing the the thin belt around to keep in in place. The yukata covered all her chest up to her neck but it was very short on her. Ending mid thigh.

Sakura poised herself at the edge of the the floor, trying not to cut her bare feet on the debris. She leaned out, looking for a place to jump to. Bird man was almost directly above her, oblivious to his surroundings and her.

If she could jump to the roof without his knowing, then jump to his bird. She could catch him off guard and give Sasori a chance to attack. The blond man was flying steadily down. If she waited a few more seconds then he'll be close enough.

She gathered her chakra into her feet and stepped out of the room, her foot holding onto the outside wall. Carefully, she moved her hand out. Her chakra an adhesive to the smooth wall. Then the rest of her body, her hands and feet supporting her weight.

Her hand slipped and she slid downward. She regained her focus, sending the chakra back into her hands. She gazed up at the gray bird, hanging in the air. She climbed up the wall, halting just shy of the roof.

Her hands grasped the edge of the roof. Her fingers flexed to find a good grip. There no placed to hide on the slanted roof. So she stayed low against the wall. She peeked over the eye and saw Sasori, standing on the roof a stones throw away from her. Smoke drifted up from singe marks on the roof.

"Art should blossom for an instant then wither!" Shouted the man on the bird.

Sasori spat on the roof. "Art should endure forever as perfection. That is beauty. True art." He argued heatedly. "You're really starting to piss me off with you blatant excuses for 'art'"

"I really think I'm right." Said the blond man in an even voice. "I'll just keep showing you my art until you get it! I'll make something for sure that would impress you, hmmm?!"

The right moment came and Sakura took her chance to jump as the man shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes closed in concentration. Without a sound she jumped onto the roof and straight up into the air, her hands grasping onto the bird.

It was softer and more malleable than she imagined. Her fingers dug easily into the substance and it started to break away. It was clay she realized. She scurried upward, pulling off more clay. The blond man was standing there, his back turned to her. His hands pulled out of his pockets, a small clay figure in each one.

They're bodies were round and egg shaped, its head like that of a little bird. Two sets of wings unfolded from they're sides. The man laughed as he hurled them at Sasori. The bird tipped forward as a strong gust pushed against it.

Before she even thought about it she tackled the man, digging her shoulder into his back. He gasped in shock. He stumbled forward, and fell straight off the bird. Landing on the roof below.

The moment he landed Sasori was on him faster than he could blink. Sasori slammed the side of his foot into the blonds head, sending him flying. The man crashed into the ground, unmoving.

"Sakura!" Sasori shouted to her on the bird. "Get off that thing now! Its a bomb! Anything clay is a bomb!"

Sakura jumped, and she saw the blond man, far down below her. His hands making a hand sign she had never seen before.

"Katsu!" Shouted the blond man.

The bird exploded in a blast of fire and light. The blast caught her mid air and fire swirled around her. Red blurred her vision, pain marred her back, the ground rushed up, and then nothing. Her eyes struggled to open again, red, yellow, and orange dancing across her vision.

Smoke rose up into the air, people were screaming. She vaguely had the impression that something was on fire. A hand jerked her aside. Bright blue eyes glared down at her. It was the man on the bird.

"You're the brat that got me, yeah." He said slowly, a sour look on his face. He wasn't happy that he was hit from behind, much less by a girl. He looked very annoyed at her. "You shouldn't get involved with others businesses. You could get killed, yeah."

"Let me go." Whimpered Sakura, hiding the fear in her voice.

"You should let her go, Deidara."

Sakura's heart skipped at beat as she recognized Sasori's voice.

"And get lost. Don't ever spew your confused interpretation of art to me again." Continued Sasori. The red head scowled down at Deidara. Their gazes locked as they fought a silent battle.

Deidara huffed and let go of her shoulder, gone the next moment.

Sasori crouched beside her and checked her wounds.

"So I wasn't imagining things." Said Sakura, giggling a bit. But instead of laugher blood dribbled from her mouth.

"Imagining what?" Asked Sasori, lightly touching her back. She flinched, grunting with pain.

"You really did... argue about art with that guy."

Sasori huffed, making a face. "No matter how much he explains it. His bombs are not art."

"Art is something people can look at and appreciate isn't it?." Said Sakura, almost naively. Sasori thought about her answer for a moment. Then decided it wasn't too far from his own art ideals.

"Art should last so people, hundreds or thousands of years from now can still see it as it was when it was made.."

The conversation ended there. Not that Sasori would not mind to talk about his art. But the flamming inn, and the people swarming around them to escape or fight the fire was a pressing matter. He picked Sakura up and carried her off.

* * *

Sakura squinted her eyes. The overhead light too bright. Blurred people walked around her. All of their misshaped faces turning to stare at hers for a moment then look away. Their voices were soft and muddled.

Sakura tried to say something but the sounds they made grew louder. Their noises agitating her. They grabbed her arms and legs. They prodded her stomach, sticking gray needles into her. She screamed. Her own piercing sounds shattering her fragile ears.

Then everything around her was clear and precise. The sharp people crowding around her, their raised voices in panic and warning. She punched and kicked then away, pumping chakra through her attacks. She heard the sounds of bones breaking, mechanical machinery crushed.

Then it was all gone. A fat needle, its clear belly filled with a light green liquid stuck out of her arm. She watched as a doctor injected the green liquid into her.

"Doctor stop!" Shouted someone. "She's going back into a coma!"

The doctor said things, but his voice was muddled. She closed her eyes, her beating heart a drum smashing against her chest. She was overwhelmed by a tightness in her chest. Like there was something else there that shouldn't have belonged.

* * *

"Get away from me!"

Sakura flailed her arms around her, screaming.

"Sakura! Calm down!" Sasori grabbed her, forcing her hands down. "You were fast asleep just a moment ago!"

Sakura's panic calmed down. She was in a hospital. But the room was different. There were windows that let the sun light through. A small vase of flowers beside her beat. White walls decorated with picture frames. A boy smiled back at her through one of the pictures.

"A dream." Breathed Sakura. "It was just... a dream."

"What in the world scared you so much." Sasori shook his head at her, relining back into his chair.

"I don't know... I don't know."

The nurse came in and started throwing a fit over Sakura. Lecturing her on how sleep and rest helps one heal faster. So Sakura was to be a good girl and keep sleeping so she can get out sooner. An attitude Sakura thought a nurse should never have. She started to wonder what sort of hospital Sasori took her too.

"Where are we." Asked Sakura, glad that that annoying nurse was gone. Left them to do other duties.

"The capital."

"Wait what!" Sakura sat up quickly, then dropped back when the nurse jerked her head through the door. Sakura smiled sweetly at her but she just had to be a bitch.

"Sir, for the patient's sake I'm going to have to ask you to leave. She needs her rest and you're distracting her."

Sasori scowled in clear protest. "I'll do no such thing."

The nurse fidgeted under Sasori's intense glare. It wasn't worth her time to argue with visitors she told herself. Really she did not wanting to mess with Sasori. It was a battle she would lose.

"I really hate the hospital." Huffed Sasori, mindlessly grabbing a book from a small rack in the corner of the room.

"They have books." Said Sakura brightly.

"It's all medical crap. And health junk."

"I don't mind. I want something to take my mind off this place."

Sasori shrugged and tossed her the book he picked out. Then slid down in his chair and started to sleep. Out like a light in seconds.

"How can he do that." Wondered Sakura aloud. "Makes me feel a little jealous."

Sasori smirked in his sleep. "It's a skill."

"You're just one of a kind."

"That too."

* * *

Sakura was released from the hospital a day later. She stretched out her arms, feeling the warm sun warm her cold skin. It was a perfectly mild day out. Not too hot and not too cold. But in the hospital it was below zero degrees. She was frozen solid the entire night. The nurse never brought her that third blanket she requested.

The capital was big. Twice as big as Konoha by Sakura's reckoning. Tall pagodas rose up three hundred yards away. A magnificent castle, with a deep blue roof and white walls. Red banners hung everywhere, the symbol of a bird in flight on them.

All the buildings around them looked old, like the city had been here since forever. As if when time was born so was the city, rising up from the ground. Created by the gods for their grand city.

She liked this city more than she liked Konoha. Being here made all old emotions of leaving her village fly away in the breeze.

"How long are we going to stay here." Sakura had a bright look in her eye.

"A few weeks. Five at the most. Then we move on. Maybe to Craftsman Country."

Sakura was excited that they were going to stay here for a few weeks. She could think of no better place than here in the capital of Bird Country to train.

"While you were out I looked around and there is a Travelers House at the edge of the city."

"A Travelers House?" Sakura vaguely recalled hearing about such 'houses'.

Sasori nodded. "It's a cheap long term inn for people out of country. Not every country has them. Fire Country I'm sure has none. As do the other large shinobi countries, but for a the smaller ones they're more popular. I'll get us a room, though, don't expect luxury. It's right next to the village gates, due south of here. So remember that."

Sasori asked her to repeat where the travelers house was and she recited it perfectly. With a nod he left and she watched him go before running off to look around town.

The capital was very different from Konoha. The smells, the sights, the people. They dressed not much different from the people of Konoha but their clothes were more colorful and extravagant. Sakura examined her own clothes. A worn green yukata, ripped in many places along the hem line.

She glared at a few girls that giggled in her direction, pointing at her. Sakura walked past them with her head held high. If they knew she was a ninja from Konoha they wouldn't be laughing so much.

Sakura walked past many food stalls and open markets on her way to the palace. The magnificent building grew larger the closer she got to it. Guards at the gate, their white and red traditional uniform making them look like birds stood ever diligent. Long bows and quivers strapped across their backs and swords hung at their sides. They looked very intimidating.

Sakura walked past the gates, keeping a respectful distance from them like everyone else was. No one walked close to it unless they were going in. Everyone talked in hushed voices around the gate, respectful of their leaders palace.

Only one man spoke louder than a whisper. His clothes and appearance was plain, and he looked like he came from the country but he said powerful words.

"The Daimyo is ruining this country! He wants to increase farmers and merchants tax by fifty-percent! He doesn't care about us! Everyday he eats the finest food and wastes our hard efforts! He hordes his wealth like a horrible old miser!"

The man spoke vehemently on and on. Speaking more of the current Daimyo's atrocities and that his brother was the one that really cared. Sakura stood back behind the crowd that had gathered before him. Some would cheer as he spoke, voicing their agreements. Others shook their heads. Some spat at the man's feet then stormed away.

Sakura left as guards from the castle came and suppressed him, dragging him off to the castle.

It wasn't the last of strong words heard by Sakura as she walked around town. More men, and some woman, preached of the Daimyo's "fiendish" acts. Some even passed out papers. One boy handed her one. Curious Sakura skimmed it.

The people she saw preaching were apart of a revolutionist group. The paper was nothing more than the written version of everything she heard today. She was surprised at how forward and bold this revolutionist group was. She folded the paper up, pocketing it.

She walked around the city, exploring the back districts where most of the people lived. The city in some places had a more modern appeal to it. Its new parts breaking away from tradition and venturing into something new.

And when it got dark Sakura walked back through the city to the southern gate. It took her a while to find the Travelers House that Sasori mentioned. She had to ask for directions twice before finding it.

The southern gates into the capital were tall and intricately carved with images of birds on them. A tall wall joined with the gates and wrapped around half of the city. The southern city was dedicated to the merchants and had many, many inns and stores. A bar or two thrown in occasionally amongst the mix. The Travelers House looked like an old bath house. Three stories tall and in the style of eastern buildings with slanted roofs that stretched out. It was entirely made of wood and stone, the wood a dark color.

The banner hanging across the door told her that this was the place and she walked in. The main room had wooden floors and was very open. A fire burned in a fireplace in one corner of the room, a group of people collected around it; telling tales of their travels or places they have seen.

Sakura walked up to a woman, by the way she dressed in a elegant kimono, she assumed was the owner.

"Excuse me but I'm looking for my friend. He rented a room here earlier today. His name is Sasori."

The woman nodded slowly and stood up, walking behind a empty counter. She picked up a note left on the desk, handing it to Sakura.

"Your friend was here, and he asked me to give this note to you." Said the owner.

Sakura took the note and read it over a few times before putting it in her yukata. She turned to the owner. "Thank you and do you have any clothes I may borrow-I've traveled for a long time and I don't have the money right now but I'll pay you back!"

"It's okay." Said the woman slowly, shaking her hands. "Your friend arranged for that. We provide all travelers needs here at my house." She paused to gaze off, remembering a fond memory. "I used to travel myself... long, long ago. Your new clothes are in your room."

Sakura thanked the woman enthusiastically for her kindness and rushed up to the room on the second floor. It was far down at the end of a side hallway and she walked past many interesting people on her way. People from all over the world must be staying here right now. Sakura felt the scholar in her give a little cheer. It was a marvelous chance to learn about other cultures and regions in the world.

She found her room easily and unlocked it with the key. The room was small and had two beds. And only two beds. It may have been a box with no windows or anything else but it was greatest thing to her. Her own bed to sleep in. The room smelled pleasant, like field flowers. She noticed on the floor, tucked away in one corner, an incense burner.

On the left hand bed was a plain pale pink shirt and black pants and in a brown bag, undergarments. The undergarments were made a stretching material that fit for most sizes. The shirt was a little too small, the stiff fabric hugging her body a snugly. The pants were slightly too small too but not so much as it was unbearable. She turned around in her new clean clothes. She decided to keep the yukata, maybe cut off some of the end where it was torn then she could reuse it or even keep it to wear over her shirt. The green yukata and the pink shirt went together nicely.

Sasori said in his note that he would be late in coming back. He apparently had some business or something to do.

Yawning she flopped down on the bed, wearing her yukata as a night gown and slept soundly throughout the night.

* * *

"I remember you." Said a young man the next morning at breakfast. "You are the pink haired girl I meet on the trail to Konoha."

Sakura remembered the man with the green cloak and the beautiful roan horse. He asked her to join him and she politely accepted. Breakfast was free at the Travelers House and it was the first decent food she had in ages.

"I'm Hakon." Said the young man, shaking her hand. Sakura had stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before realizing it was a way of greeting. It was a greeting used in the west, past Wind country. Hakon had a a youthful appearance, with short tan hair and a strong face but his eyes were very calm and gentle.

"I come from the far west. A land very different from this one." Hakon spoke slowly and carefully. He had a strange thick accent that Sakura didn't notice before. The way he emphasized his 'f's and other little things. "My master wanted me to see the east and its different customs. Tales of ninja warriors from Konoha inspired me to visit there."

"I've heard about the west." Said Sakura, very interested in him. "Because of the desert and a tall range of mountains it is hard to travel across."

"Very." Hakon chuckled lightly.

He told her of his journey. The tall mountains range, Steinnulfur as the western countries call it, was perilous and very few ever made it through them. Hakon said that the gods were protecting him. The reason why he even dared in to first place was that the gods came to his master in a dream. Telling him to send his apprentice to the east.

Sakura listened with avid curiosity as Hakon talked about his country. That he was a horse master in training and that one day he will be the greatest horse breeder in all the land. He'll raise horses that can cross the Steinnulfur.

"Where are you from? Is it Konoha?" Asked Hakon politely, thinking he spoke to much of himself.

If he was anyone else Sakura would have lied to him, but he had an air about him that made Sakura feel safe to talk about herself. "Yes, I am from Konoha."

"Are you a ninja?" Hakon's eyes lit up and he sounded very eager, as if knowing the answer already.

"I am. I'm only a genin though." She added very quickly, humbling herself.

"I've heard so much of this...chakra? Yes, this chakra you use. Can I see some of your... ninjato? Ninjatsu?"

"Um..., I guess it would be okay. I don't know much ninjutsu but I know the basic techniques."

"Excellent! Please show me!"

"Okay." A surge of confidence flooding her. "Let's go outside. The woods out back would be perfect."

Hakon walked ahead of her, going into a another part of the house. "The back yard is open to the guests. There's a back door right through here."

They stepped outside to a wide open lawn. It was very well maintained and clean. Off to the side by a small home garden, with a few tomato's ripe for pick on the vine, was a small porch area where people could eat outside if they wished.

It was late morning and the mildly hot but not sticky. Bird country had more mild weather then back home in Konoha. It felt very nice and was a wonderful day to be outside.

Sakura started off her show of skill by using a simple transformation jutsu, transforming herself into an exact copy of Hakon. He "ooh" and "aah" 'ed her. Then a shadow clone. Hakon was deeply impressed by this as well. "To create a clone of oneself! How exciting!" Sakura kindly accepted his compliments. She started to remember all the good marks and grades she got at the academy. She was certainly one of the smartest in her class. She showed of her other skills. Throwing two small rocks at a tree with good accuracy. Scaring a bird off from its roost.

She smiled as she thought of a fun way to show off another skill. "Hakon, throw a punch at me."

He shifted slightly. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yeah, its all part of the show."

Hakon shook off his uncertainty and decided to just go for it. He charged at her with a wide punch. As he hit her she vanished in a puff of smoke, a log in her place. Hakon's eyes widened as he thought this was another transformation but a voice talked to him from behind.

"A substantiation jutsu." Explained Sakura, standing on the side of the house, parallel to the ground.

"Amazing!" Hakon laughed. "This ninjato-" Sakura jumped in to correct him. "Ah, sorry, this _ninjutsu_ Is so amazing. Its like something straight from a fiction book."

Sakura blushed. She couldn't remember the last time she was praised to much. Her parents always rewarded her for her good work but would then start talking about the next thing, how well she was going to do next time. It felt, exhilarating to be praised, and not be told to do even better the next time.

Sakura thought about Sasori. She wanted to be praised by him too.

She bid farewell to Hakon for a while. She wanted to go find Sasori. Hakon said that he was going to be staying for a few weeks, like she was, and that they should get together to talk again. Sakura told him she would love that and left for town.

She had no idea where to start looking. He never once in his note said where he was or how long he was going to be. He just said for her not to wait for him or worry. She knew he could take care of himself but she wasn't so able. What was she going to do for food and clothes? She can't wear the same thing everyday.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon for the capital. Sakura was surprised at how few people were out. The main roads were almost empty. Even the extreme revolutionists she saw yesterday were gone. As she walked she made a stunning discovery. The back roads and housing areas were something completely different. It was like the whole city was flipped. The one quiet and quaint back streets were now bursting with people and laughter. Everyone was together, family and couples, all together and laughing.

"What's going on?" She asked one lady clapping as her son danced with a girl.

The woman smiled and said. "Don'tch you know about Sunday's child? Every Sunday on summer we celebrate another week of prosperity! We have so much food in the summer you know, and when winter comes a tumbling in it gets pretty scarce. So we celebrate now and be happy. Then when winter comes we help each other out. You can't be shy around a person you've danced with now can you?"

"No, I guess not." Laughed Sakura, getting into the spirit. A boy came up and she started dancing with him. It was a crazy, wild dance that had no real form. People laughed and clapped around her. Sakura couldn't count all the boys or girls that danced with her after that. Or the food that we pushed into her hands.

Sakura felt a little traitorous to Sasuke for dancing with so many boys, and playing along with their playful flirting. With a start she remembered that she was supposed to be looking for Sasori. She was dancing her way deeper and deeper into the back streets. Now music drummed the air, heavy bass notes giving birth to a new beat. She started to dance along with his new beat.

The music pounded in her chest and vocals were added. The people sang as the song came to them and she joined in. Adding her own voice to the medley. It was so crazy, but so thrilling. She let herself lose and danced and drank as her body saw fit. The new drinks handed to her tasted awful but she drank anyways. All her dancing making her thirsty.

Her mind grew muddled and she lost her balance and fell many times. She was picked up and continued again. When the music stopped and everyone dispersed off to their homes she stood there, at the center of a small plat. It was dark and the only light came from candles sitting in people's homes.

She rubbed her head. She had a horrible headache. As she stumbled back through the alleyways and cobble stone streets she was under the impression she was drunk. Street lights lit her way as she worked back to the main roads. Occasionally taking a wrong turn and having to back track. Her head cleared as the night air forced her to cool off. Pushing some scene back into her.

She turned around a corner and saw a group of men. It was two men off to the side by themselves. A few others, maybe four of five standing around them. A small ways back she leaned against the side of a building. Her mind working to understand that she saw. She felt like she was in danger but couldn't imagine why.

It was an intense atmosphere as the two men argued. The one was plump and wore rich clothes. She could smell his heavy cologne from all the way across the street. He was almost on his knees, pulling on the other man's black shirt. She couldn't hear them. They spoke in low whispers.

Her mind flopped about as she tried to understand. As she was about to get closer the man in the black clothes cut off the other man's head. She screamed before she could stop herself and all eyes fell on her. Even the head that rolled across the ground seemed to look up at her.

She turned and ran. She ran through the back streets. Heavy foot steps followed close behind her. The men gaining on her. Thinking fast she jumped up high onto the wall of a building and ran up it. She heard cries of surprise from below but did not look to see if they were still following her. She only knew to run and keep going.

She jumped from roof top to roof top until she found herself before the Travelers House. She ran in, pushing past people as she ran to her room. She prayed with all her might that Sasori would be there. She ran into the door, shacking the locked handle.

She pounded on the door calling Sasori's name. Tears streaked down her eyes as no answer came. Falling to her knees she curled up on the ground, blocking out the world.

"This isn't happening to me." Quietly she told herself. "I didn't see that. I didn't see anything. No one's chasing me. I'm not scared. I have no reason to be scared."

She cried against the door until someone walked up to her.

"What's wrong with you now." Said Sasori. He bent over her, pressing his hand to her forehead. "That smell... Sakura, have you been drinking?"

She sniffed, making faces like one, who if they started to talk would only cry more. He calmed her down, making sure she knew never to drink again.

"You're thirteen for god's sake you stubborn girl. Is that why you're crying?"

"No... no, I-I didn't know. It just happened. But I saw something. I saw a man d-d-d." She started to cry again. Sasori impatiently told her to shut up and just tell him what happened. "I saw a man die." Choked Sakura. "And the killers, chased after me. I-I ran, they were going to kill me. I saw it. Th-there coming after me!"

"You were drunk. You were imaging things. Now come on." He opened the door to their room and set her down on the bed. "Get some rest."

"Where were you." Asked Sakura.

"Just checking some things out."

"I see."

"I thought I told you to sleep."

"Hnnn"

Sasori sighed and laid back on his bed. Unable to sleep. Something was bothering him. He was doubting his decision to come here. At the time it seemed like a good idea but the revolutionists... And what Sakura said disturbed him the most. A part of him knew that it happened but another part wanted it to be drunken delusion.

* * *

Outside the Travelers House sat Deidara, stretched over a long bench. He mused himself wit ha wad of clay in his hands. He was just lectured by Leader-sama and it left a sour taste at the back of his mouth. Leader-sama has no aesthetic taste. Him and everyone else.

Sasori was promising though. He appreciated art. The wrong kind but with time he'll get him to understand his art. Tomorrow. He'll make his next move.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: And here we are at the end of chapter five! It couldn't have made it this far with out you, the reader, sending me reviews of my story!

And before I go, a special thank you to nightDREAMERms. You left an anonymous review and I couldn't respond to it. Your review made by day and motivated me to finish this chapter. Thank you so much for it! I send you my cyber love.

So remember to review!


	6. Chapter 6

Tally Mai-chan: Hello everyone! Thank you for all the responses I got for chapter 5! I just love hearing what you all have to say.

It can be pretty surprising when I write a chapter and it comes out different than when I first envisioned it. Like the last chapter for instance. I had an idea of where I wanted to story to go at the end and what I wanted to happen. Really more time was going to pass (about two weeks) but as I wrote it the whole scene with Sakura getting drunk appeared on the page and I went with it. So what awaits this next chapter? Even I'm not fully certain!

Doesn't it make it so much fun?

Chapter 6

* * *

Sasori and Sakura were woken by a sharp knock on the door. Sakura stumbling out of bed holding her head. She moaned softly to herself. Sasori ordered her to get back into bed and walked to the door. And opened it.

The owner of the inn, Lady Yumi, looked at him with such a panicked expression on her face Sasori knew there was something serious going on. He closed the door behind him and the woman spoke in hushed tones.

"The girl. Where is the girl. Bring her out immediately! There's no time to waste."

"What for." Said Sasori, positioning himself carefully between her and the door.

"Please." The woman changed her approach, sounding desperate. "It's the girl. She's _wanted_."

Sasori scowled and took a step forward. "You'll take her over my dead body."

Lady Yumi involuntarily backed up, and in moments regained her courage and boldly faced Sasori. "I'm on your side. I'm trying to help. I've seen the revolutionists, the slander they spout and I don't trust them. They say this but they have ulterior motives. I'm sure of it. Now they want to use some poor girl as their scapegoat and quite frankly I won't let them get away with it if I have any say about it!"

"Dammit. I just didn't want it to be true." Sasori shook his head, falling back against the wall. "She saw them do it and they saw her see it."

"Let's hurry. I will do my best to help you."

"What's the fastest way out of here?"

Lady Yumi shook her head. "I'm afraid leaving the city is out of the question." She said sadly. "Over night they have stirred up the people and they already have people watching all the roads and gates outside the city. They're doing full checks of everyone going in and out. You'll have to hide in the city."

"And just how do we do that? They want to trap their little "killer" in the city right? They'll be twice as observant of anyone inside than out." Said Sasori.

"With hope and a lot of luck."

"Take her." Sasori stood aside, letting the woman into the room. She carefully grabbed Sakura, enticing the girl from her bed. Sakura didn't understand much of what was going on. Her pounding head making it impossible for her to think.

The next thing Sakura knew she was being taken downstairs into a hot room with steam. The back of her head was lowered into a bucked of water and someone messaged her head. It felt quite good and she submit herself to the person taking care of her.

The steam was clearing her head a little and she started to feel a little better. But when her head was lifted from the bucket and she heard a strange cutting sound she started to feel worried. When wet locks of her pink hair fell into the ground before her she jumped.

"What are you doing!" Sakura cried, coving her hands over her head. She felt her hair. Pink strands ending neck length and others ever shorter. Her long hair, it was all hacked away. Her once long hair now cut. The hair she grew because of Sasuke.

"I'm sorry its such a bad cut but it must be done." The lady Sakura talked with the other day, the inn owner sat beside her on the ground. "Child you must be disguised. They're after you."

"No." Said Sakura abruptly. "No one's after me. I got drunk. I was only imaging things. Sasori told me."

"He was wrong dear."

"He can't be wrong!" Screamed Sakura. She hugged herself, burying her face into her arms and she cried. "He can't be wrong."

"Come child. Let's dye your hair. You can mix into the crowd that way."

Sakura cried as the woman dipped her head back into the water and poured in the dye. She said that it was a weak dye that could be washed out easily with water but it dyed anything instantly. Sakura told herself it was for the best. Besides, what kind of ninja had pink hair?

When her transformation was done the woman held up a mirror for her. At first Sakura saw a strange different girl. She had tan skin and pitch black hair that was ragged and cropped. She had sad green eyes that looked very pretty surrounded by brown skin. She saw it as herself but she did not accept it.

The woman handed her a pile of old brown clothes. Sakura changed into them and the woman spread dirt across her face and body.

"The two of you can pass as beggars. No one would bother searching a beggar. They're frowned upon here."

Sakura hated being filthy so much. She hated that she had to lose her hair. She hated that she had to be so weak.

"Be brave." Said the woman suddenly to her. Sakura whimpered. Just as she was starting to enjoy herself. When she was finally starting to think that her dreams of training and become stronger was so close. That she could believe in herself again. It was all taken away from her.

"How can I? I'm a wanted criminal when I did absolutely nothing!"

The woman smiled and embraced her warmly. She had such a motherly presence to her that Sakura was stunned speechless.

"Don't ever give up." The woman smiled at her. "As humans we give up so easily and when we do everything will fall down around us. Child, if you give up on yourself then how will you ever make it to the end?"

"The end?" Asked Sakura. "What end could there be?"

"Whatever you want it to be. But if you give up you'll never make it there then will you?"

She nodded for lack of something to do. The woman spoke so confidently and boldly that anything Sakura said afterward would sound weak.

"Now go." The woman pat her on the back, giving her confidence. "And remember to never give up! Not even for a moment."

Sakura nodded and caught her reflection in the mirror. A different girl stared grimly back at her.

She rejoined with Sasori outside in the hallway. He wore a long and filthy brown smock that went down to his knees. He smeared mud on his face and in his hair. He was expressionless as they were lead out the back door by Lady Yumi. "Gook Luck" She told them, passing Sasori a small bundle of brown cloth. "A few pieces of bread to help."

Sasori nodded to her.. Then they left. Walking down the side roads, their eyes downcast and their bodies acting weary and hurt.

The people were very different. It was mid morning but the whole city was out on the streets. All angry and vengeful. The news of the saddening death spread over night. They cast mean looks about each other, and many reacted violently against another.

Sakura was pushed and hit. People yelling at her. "Get lost you dirty beggar." or  
"I have no food for you!" Sakura let none of this bother her. It just meant their plan was working. Sasori struggled more than she did. He face was straight but Sakura could see that dark look under his eyes. She didn't dare think about what made him so mad. For a part of her, deep down, knew it was because of her.

The huddled together, side by side by the Daimyo palace. Finding it a suitable spot to sit and patiently wait out their ordeal. At the end of a small alley they could see all that went on in the square in front of the palace. The alley used by the businesses owners, a little back street where they can enter and leave through if necessary and as a place where they could relax.

No store was open today. Everyone was out, deeply troubled by the news heard throughout the night. The revolutionists were fast. Waking people up in the middle of night. Knocking violently on doors and spreading the news like wildfire. Even now, in the square, they were retelling the story of the Daimyo brother's murder.

"With change comes those who resist it." Said one revolutionist. Sakura recognized him as the man that spoke in that square the other day. He looked different though. His clothes, once poor and homely, now more colorful and rich. "The person who killed our savior was one such person. She is cold and hates our happiness! She is a wicked child with a greedy and selfish heart."

"I agree with the selfish part." Said Sasori dryly beside her.

"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Said Sakura dismally. She couldn't stop fingering her hair. The black color out of place.

"I guess." Replied Sasori. " But you're so depressing."

She huffed. "I am a beggar after all."

"Even beggars can look happy."

Sakura turned away from him but he continued talking to her. He never said anything important. Just mindless chatter. If he said something mildly interesting she would say a "yes" or "I guess so" in response.

"I feel like I should hate you." Said Sasori suddenly. Sakura's head snapped around. Her green eyes hurt and dazed.

"What?" She said dumbly, stuttering around to find the right words to her thoughts. "But you're trying to help me! Wh-what have I done to make you hate me."

"I don't know." Sasori hung his head, almost as if he was ashamed at himself. "Everything just feels wrong."

Sakura sat silently, unsure of what to say after that. They both had their own emotional problems to work though, she thought. But hearing the slanderous speech the revolutionists made about her did nothing to improve her mood. It made her feel worse.

By afternoon that day Sakura felt true fear. That that fear was realized.

"We have pictures of the killer!" The revolutionists shouted as the passed sheets and sheets of paper to the civilians. The crowd massed in the square was so great that every open space was congested with people. Some even sat on the roofs of nearby stores. The crowd pushed well up against the alley that Sasori and Sakura sat in. Thankfully no one paid any attention to them.

A revolutionist passed in front of them, giving papers to the people swarmed around them. Sasori and Sakura ignored, not given any papers. The people gave them space, but not without scowling down at them like a pair of stray mutts. A single sheet of paper brushed past them and Sasori snatched it up.

"Looks just like you, or did at least." He handed the picture to her. Sakura saw a image of herself. Long pink hair, her skin tan and bright green eyes. She folded the picture up, afraid that someone should look from her to the picture and see their similarities.

"You don't have to shout it. What if someone heard you?" Snapped Sakura in barely a whisper. Her heart pounding in her chest and her whole body shaking. She hated how she could smell her own filth and the rotting stench of the dirt around them. Her nose crinkled against he smell and it never went away.

"Filthy beggars." A woman scowled as she threw waste from a bucket on them. Sakura flinched as rotting vegetables and putrid fluid washed over them. "Eat on that."

Sasori said nothing and wiped himself off. Sakura wanted to cry and for a moment she thought that she was going to start bawling.

"Oh!" The woman cried out in shock. "It's you! The killer everyone is searching for-Hey! Hey! Someone! Anyone! It's her! She's here! Right _here_!"

Sakura jumped up to run the moment the woman started to shout. But there was too many people and they too had seen her. They grabbed and pulled her, forcing her down on the ground. Sakura struggled to fight back as they swarmed around her.

"Sas-" She tried to call for Sasori but a man clamped his hand around her mouth and her arms were forced behind her back and bound. The revolutionist that was standing on his soap box before everyone was right there with her. A malicious grin on his face.

"Good work everyone!" Shouted the revolutionist. "This little wretch tried to hide from us but justice always prevails in the end! Quick! Take her to the front so all can see her!"

Sakura was dragged through the crowd. People kicked and slapped her as she walked past and shouted horrible things to her. She was pushed into a pocket within the crowd. A man held tightly onto her bound hands another to her right, keeping his hand over her mouth.

She bit his hand. The man howled with pain and pulled back his hand. "I didn't do anything!" Shouted Sakura. "I didn't kill anyone! But I saw the people who did! I saw them!"

"Don't lie you wretch!" A man slapped her. "There are several witnesses that saw you fleeing the scene! How far will you go to spread your wickedness! If you are as innocent as you say you are then why did you hide? Disguising yourself as some pitiful beggar!"

"I _am_ innocent!" Trembled Sakura, fighting to keep her cool. "I'm innocent!"

"What proof of your innocence to you have?"

A hush fell over the crowd, all of them listening intently to her and the revolutionists. A soft mummer rose up as Sakura tried to think. She had no proof.

"I may not have proof but you have to believe me! I would never kill anyone!" She knew her word alone could never be enough but she couldn't give up. She had to keep trying, no matter how hopeless it was.

"But you're a ninja. Killing is your profession! You were sent by your village to kill our savior! Weakening our country and leaving it open for attack! What village do you work for wretch!"

The crowd talked in hushed tones. Everyone eager to see what happens next but steadily losing their patience. A few rising their voices, wanting to take their own justice.

"Hang her!" They started to shout. "Hang her!" Their killer was caught but the anger and injustice in their hearts was far from satisfied.

"Yes!" The revolutionists said to the crowd. "Let us make an example of this wretch! At twilight this very day we will hang her at this very spot and then we march on the Daimyo's palace! We, the people, shall govern our country as we see fit!"

The response was defining. The crowed roared and roared, bloody excitement fueling them. The people returned home in a hurry, eager to spread the news. The men stayed to build the hanging platform.

Sakura was forced into a makeshift stocks. She held her head up proudly and held onto her dignity. She searched the dispersing crowd for Sasori. And for a moment she thought she saw him far off, the back of his head disappearing around the side of a building. A tall blond man with him.

A second felt like an hour and an hour a second. The hot sun backed her back but she didn't mind the heat. It was nothing compared to the desert.

She thought about many things as she waited for twilight. Like where Sasori was. Was he planning on saving or was he going to leave her? She tried not to think that he would leave her but that blond man. It couldn't have been that pyro that attacked them a week ago could it?

She even though about Sasuke but that made her think of home and she stopped thinking about him.

What struck Sakura as the most strange was the lack of government intrusion. The people were planning on over throwing the Daimyo but the Daimyo was doing nothing? She saw nothing of the red and while clad soldiers of the army or private guard. The Daimyo's brother was killed but he dose nothing? Why wasn't the army involved with the search for the killers?

Sakura knew there had to be something going on. Everything was too smooth, this had been planned out. The revolutionists spreading their beliefs, the murder of the Daimyo's brother and then the search search for the killer. And she was a player in this sick game.

She need to understand what was going on. Who was on whose side. Who were the men that killed the Daimyo's Brother? Whose side were they on? Maybe the current Daimyo planned out the assassination. With his brother gaining more support from the people than he was. And to get away with such an act he needed a scape goat. In other words, her.

Twilight came all too quickly for Sakura. She had watched the progress of the stage where she would be hung. A platform standing three feet tall. A tall and thick log with a arm extending out from the top was at the center. A rope and nose dangling down from it.

She was lead up to it, facing the gathered crowd in the square. Not a single face of comfort could be seen with those people. A grim haze filled the air, making any smile uncomfortable. The cold stares of the aged men an woman, children standing solemnly at their side. Little hands grasping onto pants or long skirts.

The dark mood shifted as their anticipation grew. They shouted and hollered as she was put on top a box. The nose lowered over her head and wrapped snugly around her throat. The people jeered and threw rotten food at her. She cringed as a tomato splattered against her face, red juice getting into her eyes.

Without ceremony or any words the executioner grasped the handle that would drop the trap door; then the box on top of it; then her, on top of that. She lifted her head to sky.

"Halt!"

Silence. Nothing but the dainty steps of a scuany man, a trail of servants behind him as he marched from the palace. He wore rich clothing and on his head a intricate head dress a foot tall, the Bird Country symbol embodied on its front.

"My people!" Shouted the man, his voice strong and charismatic. He had a very hollow face with high cheek bones and small, thin eyes, making him look like someone involved with shifty doings but when he spoke, it was as if he was a different man. "As you may know, I am your leader. Your Daimyo! Many rumors have been going around me. That I am a tyrant that wants to take away all your money! That I should be hated and my brother serving you in my place. I have come here to stop you from avenging his death! For you know not of the man beneath the mask!"

He paused for dramatic effect. No one dared to speak, some stunned. The man they hated most but had never meet, was before them for the first time.

The Daimyo started to speak again, his voice rising. "My brother was a traitor to this country! He was plotting to give this country over to Rain Country! Yes my people! I learned of his plans, but too late did I discover them. By the time of my brothers death did I find his atrocious deeds.

"His plan was, that once he established his rule here, his facade as the kind and gentle man he lead you all to believe would drop and his cruel greedy face would show itself! Rain is an ambitious country and would do what ever it could to gain power. He was going to sell you, the people who make this country, to those bloodthirsty barbarians of Rain!

"His greed and ambitions were great; his planning was not. He did not speak of his plan to Rain, putting it off until he had become ruler. Rain's own ambition was great as his though. They saw the revolution he fired up through the city and they took this as their chance to create chaos and run us over! To heard us like sheep while they snapped at our heels like hungry wolves. Devouring us one by one.

"My people! Be fools no longer! Don't fall into the trap of my brother and Rain. Organize! Rise up with me and together we will turn the tables and we will concur Rain!"

Everything was quiet at first. The crowd soaking in the words of the Daimyo. Many expressed deep disbelief when he spoke of his brother and his plans. But slowly they changed. The words of their Daimyo were powerful and compelling. If the Daimyo told you that your name was really something else and that your favorite food was something you hated, you would believe him.

As the crowds fickle feelings turned they cheered for him.

The Daimyo spoke more, defining _their_ plans for battle. The revolutionists grabbed Sakura swiftly and carried her off. Spiriting her away. Unnoticed by anyone.

"So you're running things." Said Sakura softly as she was taken into the palace.

The revolutionist holding her smiled. It was the same man who pushed for her execution.

"My, my aren't you smart. You know too much. I'm afraid we have to kill you."

"Why not let my hang back there then? Why stop at the last second?" She questioned.

"If we were to kill you in front of the people would they not become so excited that they would not listen to the words of the Daimyo? You were convenient to use to set up our plans."

"A pawn in your game." She said coldly.

The man smiled and forced her down onto her knees. They were in the inner courtyard. It was all one large rock garden, the occasional tree or flower cluster spotting the gray expanse. Maybe they were being merciful. Letting her see greenery before she died. She glanced up at the sky, it was too dark to see much of anything. There were no lanterns lit but for a lamp by a sliding door.

The man stood in front of her her and pulled a crude dagger from its sheath on his belt. The cold metal danced in the half moon light and the man's smooth stroke would have beheaded her instantly.

Fire and light blasted from behind, the powerful surge blowing them forward. Sakura was thrown against the man, his dagger just missing her leg. They flew across the courtyard to the other side through the paper wall. Another blast of fire above them hurling burning wood down upon them. One caught the man on the sleeve of his shirt and the fabric burst into flames.

Sakura bolted for the door but a hand grabbed her ankle. The man, encased with fire, dragged her to him. She fell on her face and and could feel the heat from the fire that now consumed the whole room. The broken wall her only escape and only moments from being gone.

Another explosion of fire blasted in the distance and she pulled against the rope that bound her arms. The man screaming a silent cry of pain and died. Sakura panicked as his hand, even in death, still gripped her leg. Fire burning up his arm to her.

A figure appeared through the whole in the wall and grabbed her, lifting her by the armpits and jerking her back. He carried her through and out into the courtyard. A large gray bird waiting for them.

"You!" Sakura shouted at once, knowing the man that grabbed her and lopped her leg around his back and using it to twist herself out of his arms. He grabbed her leg at the last second and she swung her arm around, her knuckles bashing against the side of his head. She landing painfully on her back, hesitating for only a second before jumping to her feet.

"Stop it, yeah! I'm helping you!" He grabbed her wrist, being none to gentle. "Dammit girl! Stop fidgeting!"

"Why should I trust you!" She spat in his face, throwing a punch at him with her free arm. He let her go and backed off, standing firmly before her.

"Because" He said bluntly. "I have explosives rigged all over this place. The first ones you felt? Nothing but appetizers for the main course. This whole palace is going to blow sky high and my bird here, is the only way out. All the other gates are destroyed, courtesy of my art."

"Why are you helping me. You were my enemy before."

"The friend of my enemy is my friend as well, un?"

"That makes no sense."

"... It did in my head-Anyways Sasori is waiting for us and I don't want him bitching about "hating to be kept waiting"."

"Wait, but you were after Sasori weren't you. That's why you attacked us, for that bounty on his head right?"

Deidara laughed and walked slowly towards her. "Listen, yeah. We can keep talking here if you like but this place is about to blow any second now. So if you want to live then get your butt on this bird or I'm leaving without you."

Without another word he jumped onto the birds back and Sakura knew she shouldn't trust him. But she jumped onto the birds back anyways and Deidara did not look at her until they were high up into the sky.

"Watch, un. See how great my art is first hand."

Sakura watched and in an instant. A great flaming cloud erupted all across the palace. Consuming all in its hungry path. Then it was gone. The great light given off by the fire gone and only darkness. Not even the moon could shine through.

"I don't know why Sasori wanted to save you so much, yeah." Deidara smiled as his creation vanished in the night and quite satisfied with himself he sat down next to her. Sitting comfortably cross-legged. Sakura could tell he really wanted to talk about his art but stopped, wanting to appear more humble than what he really was.

She didn't answer his question. "I wouldn't could that fire art."

Deidara frowned deeply.

"Art should blossom for a moment then wither away. That fire was everything art should be. It doesn't need to last physically, the memory of it would be with us forever, yeah."

"An interesting view... I guess." She said shyly, not wanting to anger her life line but couldn't force herself to lie entirely to him.

He seemed content with her answer for the moment and started to study her carefully. She didn't like the way his eyes looked at her, like she was some novelty item.

"Quit staring at me."

"Why, hmmm?"

"Because its rude."

"I still want to know why Sasori wanted to save you so bad. You're nothing much."

"And your nothing but some violent terrorist." She wanted to say back but held her tongue. Something told her his temper was like his bombs.

"I mean its not like you're cute or anything. You don't have any redeeming skills. If anything your just some street urchin he took pity on."

"I am a ninja of Konoha" She raised her voice. "Not some filthy street urchin!"

"Oh a ninja are you?" He mocked. "A genin most likely. Am I right?"

"I may be a genin but one day I'll be stronger than everyone!"

"Oh now I'm scared." He sneered. "Some little genin is going to come back and kick my butt."

She could have gone further. But she controlled herself. Putting her temper in check. The whole argument was a waste. "This whole argument is pointless. Now take me to Sasori."

He huffed and turned away from her. Concentrating on controlling the clay bird. The forest below only slightly distinguishable in the faint blue light. They were flying steadily lower and lower. Soon the birds feet were brushing against the tree tops.

"Maybe he likes you, hmmm." Said Deidara out of the blue. "Don't know why though."

"He doesn't like me." Said Sakura calmly. "I broke one of his puppets and he's just using me until he gets a new one."

"You broke a battle puppet?" Deidara suddenly turned to look at her, his blue eyes bright, even in the dark. "Like a real battle puppet?"

She nodded.

"Woah, don't lie to me, yeah. Battle puppets are made real tough and theres no way a puppet master like Sasori would be so careless as to let someone "break" his battle puppet-one he made himself at that."

"I didn't break it..." She admitted. "More like completely obliterated it."

"How?"

"I... punched it..."

Deidara stared laughing. "Okay, now I really know you're lying. That's such a bad habit to get into. Ha, you destroy a battle puppet in one hit."

She did not feel like trying to correct him. He wouldn't believe her anyway. Suddenly he changed topic, throwing her off before she could think about what he said.

"So maybe it's you that likes Sasori. Begged to go with him I bet. I'm right aren't I? That's why your so quiet. Heh, he had to of taken pity on you."

"I don't like him! I have someone else I like! And he's not Sasori!" She found herself shouting.

"Easy, easy." Deidara punched her playfully in the shoulder. "Don't blow up on me." He added with a chuckle. "Now come on. We're here."

The bird landed in a wide glade, Sasori sitting calmly by a gurgling brook. His eyes watching them as they jumped off the bird and walked to him.

"You're late." He said the moment they stopped before him, before any of them could get a word out. "I told you how much I hate to wait. You're going to have to learn that if I'm going to be working with you."

"Hey! I tried my best, hmmm." Deidara defend. "It was miss punchy over here that kept me held up."

Sasori looked Sakura in the eye. "I'm sure you remember Deidara."

Sakura frowned at Deidara. "Yeah. I remember him. I also remember knocking him off that stupid bird of his." She smiled at the recalled memory. Remembering that she caused the turning point of the battle.

"And I remember a little pink haired girl begging me to let her go, hmmm."

Sakura pretended not to hear him.

"Let's get going them." Sasori stood up, stretching his arms.

"Yeah, hmm. I'm tried of this place. It's really boring, hmm."

"What are you..." Said Sakura quickly. Seeing the two men walk back to Deidara's bird.

"Sakura." Sasori said to her. "You don't have to be my puppet anymore. We're going out separate ways now. I'm joining Akatsuki."

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Ah, another chapter under my belt. I feel what Sakura felt. When she got her hair dyed. Just recently I got mine dyed. I went from medium light brown hair, long, no bangs to a dark reddish brown with red streaks and bangs. I'll just say that none of my friends at school recognized me : ).

On and by the way. Yes I am evil for that cliff hanger. Tell me all about it in the review that will kill my inbox with all the review alerts I get. That'll really show me.


	7. Chapter 7

Tally Mai-chan: Don't hate me for the cliff hanger! It makes things exciting doesn't it! But I have really good news! I have the story fully planned out (finally) and it. Is. Amazing. You guys will love it. Cuz I know I do!

**WARNING**:_(please pay attention to the fact that it was in bold letters)_This chapter is rated BMCKTR which means **Borderline Mature Content Kept Teen Rating**. You are **warned.**

Chapter 7

* * *

Three years.

Three years have past since he saw her last.

"Hey Sasori." Deidara walked up, standing beside him. "We're staying here for a while, I already got rooms for us at an inn, and don't worry, its a small out-of-the-way one. Should be pretty quiet."

Sasori recognized the inn Deidara mentioned. It was the same inn that he stayed at with her her years ago. That night he got no rest. He was restless. Every time he closed his eyes to sleep he would wake up moments later thinking that he was forgetting something, something important. But he couldn't fathom what.

The next morning Deidara suggested he should walked around town and eat some good food. Sasori doubted that such advise was worth anything but followed Deidara's instructions none the less. He left the inn to wander town, stopping when he was hungry or tired.

It used to be such a small town, and Sasori was stunned at how much it had grown. Almost three times the size it was three years ago. He wondered if Konoha being so close by had anything to do with it. The town had grown into four districts and each different from another.

Sasori wondered from district to district, and for a while, felt at peace. It did not last for the feeling that he had lost sight of something important nagged him. And her. That girl nagging at the back of his mind. She gave him chills. A feeling of deep loathing.

He left her, but the feeling was there, worsened. He returned to the inn and stood in the doorway. It was just like then, and maybe he was hoping she would come through those doors. Her stomach would growl and he would tease her. She would pout and he would tease her more. He shook his head.

A young woman walked through, her head and face covered by a white scarf. Her skin was olive tan and she turned and looked at him. Her bright green eyes staring through him.

"Versef" She whispered dazedly, stumbling forward. She staggered to the counter and payed for a room. She tripped and he grabbed her. He took her to a couch near by and set her down in it. Her stomach growled and he got up and brought her a piece of bread.

"Urta." She said quietly.

Sasori didn't understand what she said, it was a new language to him. "Can you understand me?"

She nodded, a sly smile on her face. "Yes I can understand you." She said perfectly. Finishing the bread he had given her she unwrapped the scarf from her head. "And you should know me."

Sasori saw her and saw someone else at the same time. Her hair was pink but lighter than he had remembered, but her eyes were the same. She was older now, no longer the young naïve girl.

"Sakura."

She smiled. "Its been a while... hasn't it Sasori?"

He was incredulous. "What... what have you been doing?"

"Training." She said. "Far to the west, beyond the great desert. I lived with the nomads."

"I never expected to see you again."

"..."

He thought silently, her reaction confusing him. "I wanted to see you again." He thought, but he would never say it. Never.

"I'm returning to Konoha." Said Sakura suddenly. "My training is finished so I'm going back to my village, the chunnin exams are coming and I'm going to enter them."

He said nothing, he couldn't think of anything to say. She rambled on about various things, talking about her life with the nomads. He could that she really wanted to ask what he had been doing, why was he here.

"I'm here to be here." He said. "Work has slacked off for a bit so I'm taking the chance to get so rest. Relax a little."

"That doesn't sound like you." She pointed out. He shrugged.

"A person can change in three years. Ands not like you knew me very well."

"I guess..." She trailed off. Sasori knew he said something bad, for she looked away and refused to make eye contact with him. Thankfully Deidara actually had good timing for once.

"Hey Danna, who you talking to?" Deidara joined the group, munching on a fresh piece of bread. He looked at Sakura and did a double take. "No way, un" Deidara gaped, thinking that his memory was failing him.

"Well if it isn't the artistic bomber," Sakura laughed. Deidara's mouth dropped, she found his reaction very amusing. "I'm glad you remember me."

They talked for a bit, Deidara brightening the mood with his care free chatter. Sasori noticed that Sakura was still hesitant to look at him. He wondered what he said to make her so mad at him. Women were so strange.

"I've been hearing things about Akatsuki." Said Sakura. "On my way through Wind and River countries and even here in Fire. Akatsuki has been very busy lately."

"Yeah well there are a lot of ninjas out there, yeah." Said Deidara, reclining back in his chair. "The five great villages have been real good lately, almost too good. Military forces are being reinforced all over the map. And so have strong individuals to lead them."

"Akatsuki is a peaceful organization right?" Sakura asked. Sasori and Deidara nodded.

"We make sure another great war doesn't start." Sasori explained. "It's hard work but it saves thousands of lives."

Sakura told them good night and left to go to her room. Sasori and Deidara stayed downstairs in the lobby for a little longer, disusing their next mission-they still had a few more days until they had to leave-and then they too, retired for the night.

Sasori still couldn't sleep. His mind was racing, the thought that she was here and so close him, his emotions muddled with confusion. He ended staying up the whole night, siting by the window, watching the moon move across the sky.

He watched the sun rise from the roof of the inn, with his back to the town and the sun spread across the land. First touching the tips of his toes then spreading further to lighten the whole village. During the night he couldn't think of anything at all.

Silence. A still silence that left him feeling numb. Time halting for everything but the sluggish moon. Now, as the dawning sun warmed his cold body, he started to shift through his thoughts. He learned a truth, but he was missing something important. He had forgotten something important.

And as he started to walk into the hazy fog of his distant memory he saw her.

She walked out of the inn, tall and proud. She stretched her arms and legs, a pleasant smile on her face. She turned to face the sun and she saw him. She waved and he waved back.

"I'm going for a walk around town. You want to join me?" She shouted softly to him. He nodded and joined her on the ground.

They walked through the new districts, the only conversation their thoughts about the things they saw. Mostly just silence, but it was good silence.

"I tried to come back in time for the Summer festival." Said Sakura. "I was hoping for a better experience this time."

"Oh?"

"Yeah... to say the least it wasn't the best time I ever had at a festival. But it doesn't matter. The festival was last week.... Kana-san!" Sakura ran forward, embracing a slender woman with Honey colored hair. Sasori stood back at a respectable distance as Sakura chatted eagerly with this woman.

From what he could understand Sakura knew Kana from three years ago, from when she first came to this village. Sasori excused himself from Sakura and she said for them to meet up again later. He appeared to have left her but he made sure she never left his sight.

Sakura and Kana ate lunch together and he sat near by them, listening to their conversation. He had no qualms about eavesdropping. It was simple an opportunity to learn a little more about Sakura.

"So what happened these past three years? This town is so different." Said Sakura.

"Trade has been good." Said Kana. "Some merchants in Konoha moved here and brought up the trade. This city is currently living through an age of prosperity."

"I've been to the countries in the west and I've seen so many things but I always had and always will love this... love my country."

"The west?" Kana looked surprised. "You actually made it to the west? I've been taught that only death meets those who travel west."

"The Steinnulfur mountains were treacherous." Sakura's eyes glazed over. She bit her lip nervously, deciding if she should continue or not. "It was... a challenge like no other. The choices you face, the obstacles you must over come. Death was my companion since I first stepped foot on that cursed rock. But it made me strong."

"You have matured." Said Kana admirably. "You are a full grown woman. So what are you going to do now? I doubt settling down is in your future."

"I'm going to continue my career as a medical ninja. In the west I traveled with a nomad group and their medicine woman took me as her apprentice. I want to spread the medical arts of the west to Konoha."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"What about you Kana? What have you been up to?"

Sasori let the rest of their conversation slip past his ears. It was nothing important. Kana had married some other person that Sakura knew, Okura was his name, and had one daughter. He didn't care and waited until Sakura and Kana parted ways.

Slipping through the crowd he pasted her unnoticed and turned around, walking back to her, letting her see him.

"Oh Sasori." She looked surprised to find him.

"Let's get dinner." Said Sasori, not giving her a chance to speak. "I seem to vaguely remember a promise I made to buy you dinner. It was during our stroll through the desert if I remember correctly."

Sakura suppressed a laugh. "If you remember that trek across hell as a pleasant stroll then you must be imaging things."

"I was going to treat you to a free meal but if you're going to act like that then you can forget about it."

"Okay, okay. You don't need to be so touchy."

"Come on, we're eating grilled fish."

"No way, its summer so we should eat Somen."

"I'm buying so we're eating Fish."

"You're treating me so I pick what we eat."

"Come, there's a grilled fish shop right over there."

"Are you listening to me!"

"Yakizakana, which kind should I get?"

"How about up yours"

Sasori raised an eye brow at her and she returned it. She certainly had grown bold. What happened to the little girl that eagerly followed him around, couldn't do anything without him. She may have matured but she had gained something else too. A loose, wild tongue.

They sat down and a waitress took their orders. Sakura gave up her noodles and sat quietly. She's angry. He thought. To think she used to call me childish.

"Are you stronger than me now Sakura?" He asked her. Their orders arrived and Sasori took a bite of his fish. He was glad he picked this place, the fish was very good. Sakura hadn't touched her food, he noticed.

She bit her lip, and her fingers played with the chopsticks. Her mouth drew a fine line and Sasori was losing his patience.

"Are you going to answer me?"

"..."

"Well?"

She shook her head slowly, no emotion on her face. "No. I am not stronger than you."

"You never will be."

"The fish is good."

"Yes. It is. Good flavor. Not bad for the price."

"I'm leaving tonight."

He looked up at her, she was crying.

"The sooner I go back to my village the better. I've been away so long and I'm sure all my friends have missed me by now. Why delay? There's so much I want to do when I get back to Konoha but I'll be given missions and then I won't have any time. I should start packing now."

Sakura ran from the store. Sasori tried to stop her, he grabbed for the bag hanging across her shoulder but she shrugged it off, running faster. He tried to chase after her but the store owner caught him, he needed to pay his bill she said. Sasori shoved the money into her hands but Sakura was gone.

He raced back to the inn, but she wasn't there. He knocked on the door to her room but there was no answer. Angry he started to pound on the door until the inn owner came and started to scold him. Sasori took her bag and threw it in his room, next to him was Deidara's room. But the blond wasn't there.

"Goddammit." He cursed, his anger waiting to burst out. What was with Sakura. One moment they were getting along then she suddenly had to start talking about Konoha and needed to go back. He checked with the inn clerk, Sakura had not checked out yet.

Sasori hated Sakura and her damn loyalty to her village. Why did Konoha matter to her so much? She left because people were looking down on her. So why would she try so hard to go back? Why in the world did she want to return to it so soon?

Regrettably he meet Deidara during his sulking. Worse yet he and Deidara had to attend an emergency meeting. They left town to find a secluded spot in the woods where they could be safe from interference. Sasori closed his eyes and when they opened again he was in one of the hideouts. Another dark, damp cave.

Sasori didn't know why leader liked to hold meeting in such dark places, it made seeing the holograms of other Akatsuki members all the harder. Only eyes could be clearly seen. It was eerie and only made everyone look more mysterious.

During the meeting Sasori pushed Sakura to the back of his mind, a surprisingly simple task. But he was bothered by another fact. The Akatsuki in the meeting, there were only six others including him and Deidara. Akatsuki had nine members. Or, he thought it did.

He didn't know the four other members, not even the leader that spoke. He started to wonder where Hidan, Kakuzu, Itachi and Kisame where. But who were those people? Did he really know them? He thought he did.

Sasori said nothing for the entire meeting and no one bothered him. What ever reason leader called them for, it must have not been that important. Then why was their a meeting?

Sasori had so many questions and what angered him the most was that he knew the answers but then questioned the answers. They were wrong, but right. He knew it but did not know it. His head hurt and a pain rose in his chest. A burning pain, a crushing pain that took his breath.

He learned something else as his pain dwindled away. So that was two things he knew for sure, and one nagging feeling that he was forgetting something. But he did not want to remember it.

They returned to the inn, Deidara going to bed for the night. It was late and Sasori thought about sleep, then started to wonder why he needed to sleep. He felt certain that he did not need to sleep. But he had to sleep eventually, or did he?

"Sasori."

He turned his head. Sakura stood a few feet from him, her eyes downcast.

"I want my bag back."

"Why." He asked, only because he wanted to keep talking with her. She was going to leave, and he did not want that.

"I'm done packing. I'm returning to Konoha."

"It's night. Konoha is half a days walk from here. It will be morning when you get there. You might as well stay the night then leave early in the morning."

"I'd rather leave tonight."

"Travel by day is safer."

"I am a ninja, I do not fear the night."

"Are you really?"

Sakura's body clenched. "Of course I am!" She shouted.

He huffed. "Three or five years at an academy doesn't make you a ninja."

He watched with morbid curiosity as her eyes hardened. Trembling with anger she resisted the urge to hit him. He had hit a sore spot. And he wanted to know why. Why did it shake her this much.

"You left your village because you were not good enough as a ninja." He continued. "Your own team would not recognize you as a shinobi of the village and you ran away. You said you were training but you were just hiding your shame."

"Bastard." She hissed. He shrugged.

"Call me what you like. I don't care." He made a show of opening the door to his room. Right in the middle of the room on the floor was Sakura's bag, and she saw it. He hid his smile behind a yawn, stretching his arms for added effect.

"I'm going to bed, see you in the morning."

She ran into his room, snatching her bag from the floor and turned sharply around. But he was one step ahead of her. He knew she would make a grab for her bag. He walked inside and closed the door, locking it. And when she turned he grabbed her. Her eyes flared in anger and tried to pull away from him but he anticipated this too.

He pulled her against his chest and pressed his lips on hers into a hard kiss. Her body tensed against his and he kept going. His hand moving up and down her arm, his fingers moving to grasp the small of her back.

Then she gave in. He kissed harder, stopping only for air and she kissed him back. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and his arms snaked around her waist and back. Her scent intoxicated him, her warm skin begging to be touched.

He wanted only one thing, he needed only one thing.

He picked her up and carried her to the bed. She squirmed under him, understanding his intent but he talked to her softly. He kissed her neck and collarbone, whispering soft words to her.

She wanted it too, she needed it as much as he did.

Before he knew it he had gone to far to go back. He couldn't stop, once started. He had acted on a whim of emotion, and it was controlling him. His emotions scared him, but he wanted them. He was no longer confused. His mind was clear.

He learned a third truth.

But his stupid truths didn't matter any more. For there was only one thing he could think of. There was one thing his mind shot back to every time he tried to get away. Sakura was ingrained into his mind. She was everywhere and now, he wanted more.

He wanted every part of her.

For him alone to kiss and touch her, for her to belong entirely to him. Mind and body. Sasori knew he was a very greedy person, he wanted to keep beautiful things all to himself. And nothing was more beautiful than Sakura.

"Sasori..." Sakura panted. He licked her ear, nibbling on it. "Sasori...!" She cried again.

"Sakura." His hot breath brushed against her ear. She wriggled in ecstasy. "I love you. And you will only be mine, and mine alone."

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Happy Valentines Day Everybody! _(btw the writing of this chapter and Valentines day being in like two days was a total coincidence and not planned at all)_ And the plot thickens!

Review's would be the best valentines day gift I could get! It's almost as good as getting chocolate! _(almost)_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

The dreams Sasori had that night were not dreams, but the truth. He was living in a dream right now, nothing was real and what was real was far away.

In his real "dreams" he saw his childhood.

His parents were shinobi of the Hidden Sand village, and they died when he was a young boy. He tried to be brave, and not miss them but when he saw the other children play with their parents, he became terribly jealous. His grandmother, Chiyo, raised him and saw his loneliness. While she could not replaced his parents she still gave him something to refill the void.

Thus he learned Puppet Jutsu and to make his own battle puppets. Grandmother gave him the parts and tools and he achieved greatness on his own. He gained fame and could get anything he ever wanted.

But his parents.

Beside him Sakura stirred, and he gently pushed a strand of hair from her face. She was asleep, but he couldn't find rest. His mind was filled with too many memories, his real memories.

He had tried to recreate his parents, creating puppets in their likeness, but it wasn't the same. The puppets looked like his parents, he could make them move like parents did, but there was no love. It was not the same. Grandmother Chiyo spent more time with him after that, devoting more of her time to training him.

He didn't want that. He didn't want life in the village and he want love. He didn't want emotions. He wanted to be the best and to do that he had to leave everything, get rid of his emotions. He battled and killed the third Kazekage and turned his body into a puppet. Once he had the process mastered he turned his own body into a puppet. No more emotions.

Outside the window, the night sky was starting to lighten. In a few hours it would be morning. He didn't understand one thing yet. Why was he here, now? What happened to him? And what about Sakura? Was she fake too? Was everything he felt about her, her very self, fake?

No, no, Sakura was as real as he is, or was.

After he left his village he wondered for a year, adding more human to his collection of human puppets. He would find strong Shinobi and kill them. He was unbeatable, and thought he always would be... until he meet Akatsuki.

A masked man by the name of Kakuzu and his partner crossed his path one day, three years after he left his village. Kakuzu had asked him if he wanted to join Akatsuki and Sasori had rejected the offer, though he did not want to pass up the opportunity for more puppets to his collection.

He fought with Kakuzu and had lost. For losing the fight he was forced into Akatsuki. Later though, as he fought against more and more shinobi he decided that it wasn't bad but gather good he had lost. If anything it reminded him that there was always someone stronger out there.

Then, more than ten years, after going through Orochimaru as his partner he, Kisame, and Itachi were sent out to recruit his new partner, a terrorist for hire. A man named Deidara. They found him in Grass Country, and Itachi was the one to beat Deidara.

Sasori didn't like Deidara from the moment he laid eyes on him. He was young and wild, blatant and rude. He thought art was tasteless displays of fire and light. Sasori has his own different ideals of art. Art lasted forever, it was the one thing that dose.

Sasori thought he heard Deidara snoring in the room next to him. Maybe he was just imagining. The Deidara here, the Deidara he supposedly spent the last three years with. Was he really who he was? The Deidara in his memory was someone else. The real Deidara was different from fake world Deidara.

Sasori decided that there were two worlds. The real world, where he is from and this surreal world that was fake. The fake world existing within the real one.

With that sorted out, more questions than answers popped into his head. What in this surreal world was from the real world? How did the real get into the fake?

He was going to have to believe that he was real, and so was Sakura. Everything else, including Deidara, was fake. Made up.

There was knock at his door and Deidara's voice came softly from the other side.

"You in there Sasori?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going out to get breakfast."

Sasori looked to the window. The sun had indeed risen and he noticed the sounds of people coming from the outside. It was morning.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a bit."

"Want me to grab you anything to eat?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay."

Sasori heard the blonds footsteps leave. Yes, the fake Deidara here was not the same as the real Deidara. The fake Deidara was too calm and collected. He would get angry or flustered rather quickly but nothing like the real Deidara.

The only thing Sasori didn't understand was Sakura. She was real but how did he know her? She wasn't in any of his memories thus far and the rest of his memories had drifted off. There was still many things about his real life that he didn't know about.

You know the truth, you just don't want it to be true.

He shook his head, pushing all thoughts aside. He couldn't remember, not yet, but he would. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and saw Sakura, looking up at him. Worry in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Fine."

If she wasn't satisfied with his answer then she didn't say. "Let's go get some breakfast. I'm starving."

"Yeah, let's go eat some Somen."

"Oh, so now you want Somen." She punched him playfully in the chest. "Well I don't want Somen, I want... omelets."

"Che, fickle girl."

She stuck her tongue at him and started to get dressed. He grabbed her as she pulled her head through the shirt and kissed her lightly on the lips. She blushed darkly and turned away from him shyly. In a daze she wondered out of the room, waiting for him by the door.

"You're paying." She said to him from behind the door.

Dressed, he followed her out and into the dinning hall. Deidara waved them over from a table in the corner and Sasori sat as Deidara and Sakura ate.

The two chatted with each other. They both noticed how quiet he was being, how he didn't touch any of his food. Deidara knew better than to ask and Sakura followed his suit, though it was quite clear she wanted to ask.

"You guys are still her for a few days right?" Asked Sakura.

"Yeah, we leave in two days, got missions and stuff to do. Baddies to keep in check, the works."

"I'll be leaving for Konoha tomorrow. Can't keep putting off my return home."

"Konoha, huh. Can't be worse than Iwa. Our Kage is older than the land itself."

Sakura laughed, "Well at lest your kage isn't a drunkard with a gambling addiction."

"Ours is senile."

"You have me beat there."

"Regrettably." Deidara sighed, playing with the food on his plate.

Deidara turned sharply to look behind him and Sakura followed his gaze. She saw Sasori walk off, holding his head with one hand. Standing up and after him before she even thought about it, she ran.

Sasori grasped his stomach, a sick feeling reeling though him. He had remembered what he did not want to remember. Sakura had grabbed him and took him upstairs back to his room. He didn't want to go and tried to resist her. She gripped him tighter but he was stronger. He broke her grip and turned his back to her.

"Sakura, just leave me alone."

"No! Sasori what's wrong with you?"

"You should take a look at yourself."

Her hands were wet with sweat. The color was gone from her face and she was panting. He grabbed her and leaned her against the wall. She lurched to the side suddenly, her chest quivering.

"Ah! M-my chest... it hurts" Sakura grunted with pain, doubled over on her side. "Ah, it's feels like... its swelling."

He knew what was happening, but couldn't do anything. His pain came from her, and her pain came from him.

"Sakura." Said Sasori gravely, his face bent close to hers. He waited until her eyes locked with his, "Listen to me carefully and answer truthfully. Have you been having strange dreams or visions?"

She vigorously shook her head no but stopped. She paused, debating. And shook her head again.

"Answer me Sakura!" Sasori shook her shoulders and she threw up on the floor.

"... I feel better now."

Sasori snarled. "That's not what I asked you!"

"No! Alright, I haven't had any weird dreams okay! No visions, no nothing!"

"Go back to Konoha Sakura."

She started him, incredulous, "Wh-what are you talking about? You wanted me to stay longer, right? I wanted to stay too!"

"Dammit Sakura get out of my sight. I'm tired of you."

She gaped, her eyes wide. "What are you talking about! Sasori, whats wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" He yelled at her. "You're an annoying brat, you're pushy and do nothing but whine. Dammit to hell if I can't put up with it any longer! Leave me woman!"

Tears fell from her narrowed eyes and anger ravaged her features. "You can't talk to me like that." Her voice dangerously low. "You can't. I'll do what ever damn well I want to do and I'm staying until I get an answer from you!"

"There's nothing to answer."

"You said you loved me dammit!" She lunged and tackled him to the wall. Sasori twisted her wrist and she kicked her knee up, pushing him off her, using her balance to launch another kick at his chest. He ducked below it and jumped forward. His hand grabbed her stretched leg under the thigh and he lifted it up, taking her balance from her. He dug his right shoulder into her chest and crashed her into the floor.

She could only watch wide eyed, the wind knocked out of her, as Sasori stood up on his feet and glare at her. She gushed out tears, and she tried to wipe them away. She told herself not to cry, that she wasn't weak.

He turned his back and left her hastily. He heard her call after him but he ignored her. He left the inn, left town and ran into the woods. Everything was losing its color, he noted. The greens faded, the sky a dingy gray blue color. Like a storm had come and the rain faded all the color away. It was ending. The fake dream was ending. He could feel it.

This fake world was falling apart. The ground split and and crumbled into sand. The sky broke apart, like jigsaw pieces floating down until they too faded away. The trees lost all their leaves, and the forest grew smaller. Desolate white surrounded him, only a small part of the forest, from ten feet around in in all directions remained. The path he took was still there, so was the town. No sound was heard, all their was was an empty silence.

I failed. He thought as the great white slowly crept to him. Only the pale green grass at his feet remained, all the trees, even his path, were being swallowed into the white. When he looked again the town was gone.

On that white plain before him she laid, crying her eyes out. She screamed in moan in pain, her body trashing everywhere.

Her world was gone. Empty.

"I did have dreams Sasori!" She cried to herself in wretched misery. "I did see visions, but I didn't realize until too late. I didn't realize!"

Curled on the ground she cried and he watched her from afar. The memory he had tried so hard to subdue, living fresh in his mind.

The sanbi was sealed and the rock blocking the entrance into the lair was destroyed in one hit. He wondered who destroyed it and watched curiously as four ninja jumped into the room. The Kyuubi jumping at them immediately, stopping by Kakashi of the Sharringan at the last second.

He thought how easy this was going to be when Deidara angered him, making the Kyuubi chase after him and leaving his Grandmother and Sakura behind. She was powerful and skilled, and with Grandmothers help they survived until he had to use himself against them.

Then at the end, as she battled past his hundred puppets and almost succeeded in killing him he drove a sword through her stomach. In the moment all of her courage and skill shone through. She healed her injury with the sword still in her and even lasted against his poison, creating an antidote for it.

And before Grandmother could kill him and performed the soul transfer jutsu. He transferred his soul into her body, just second before his heart was run through. He thought that if he was going to die then he was going to take this girl down with him. If he was going to die then she will die too.

But his plan backfired. She had to strong a will to live and the medical ninja of Konoha had continued to keep her alive even now. But.. even though she had survived for so long, one body can not hold two souls.

Her body is rejecting him but his soul is attached to hers.

"Sakura."

She stopped crying to look up at him, whimpering.

"Get a hold of yourself. You are a strong kunoichi of the Leaf village. And it's time you go home."

"This should never have happened." She whispered. "You should have died and I was to live on."

"I wanted to take you with me then."

"In your greed to kill me, you brought us together."

He tried to laugh but the attempt was half hearted. "Poetically ironic."

"More like... pathetically ironic."

"Sakura. It's time for you to go."

"Go where?" She looked around her for the first time. It was just the two of them, floating in white space.

"To your home. Forget about me Sakura."

Before she could ask what he was talking about he grabbed her neck. She knew what he was going to do and tried to speak. Her hand grasped his and he hesitated for only a second.

"Just tell me one thing..." She whispered to him quietly.

"Anything..." He said.

"I want to know..."

* * *

"Lady Tsunade! She's coming to again! Her vitals are stabilizing! I think she's awakening for real this time!"

"Hurry on that IV drip! Make sure she doesn't go back into a coma again! We're getting her back now!"

Sakura opened her eyes and for a moment thought that she was still back in that place. The white walls and celling and white curtains but some of the white moved. It was people, she realized, nurses and doctors in white scrubs.

She saw her master Tsunade walk over to her. She looked different, older and tired. Purple bags under her teachers eyes. Tsunade smiled down at her, her face lit up with bliss. "Welcome back Sakura. Welcome back."

Sakura said nothing.

Only cried.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Reviewing would be nice here. I really want to know what you guys think about this chapter and any criticism you can give me that are not about my horrible spelling or grammar (I've got plenty of those already,haha) but just whether you want to comment on like my writing style or anything that you would like to see more of would be great.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Well to lighten the mood a bit I decided that a few words from Sasori and Sakura would cheer up all the sad and depressed readers!

Sasori: The largest cause of character abuse in the world today happens when armatures think they can write.

Sakura: Yes folks, almost 90 percent of all characters in fanfiction suffer because of authors recklessly creating stories and throwing characters into them. Like here in this story where the authoress wanted an AU story but did not think of the consequences for creating this story.

Sasori: Yes readers, when you write your fanfiction the actual world where your fanfiction takes place in is altered to match your fanfiction. Do you know how many times Gaara has been my brother? How many times I had to freaking have (censored) sex with Deidara and who knows how many other people! Bottom line. It's. Sick.

Sakura: So now, because the author started a story like this then dropped it our(points to self and Sasori) universe has to changed to match and the author didn't finish the story so the universe dose not go back to normal and I have to be in love with this guy when I'm not!

Sasori: I'm a freaking puppet. I can't have sex you perverts.

Sakura: And why am I paired with EVERY-and I do mean _every_- character in this series? How would you like it if your friends wrote lemons about you with your friends, your relatives, and your neighbors that you don't even know! Huh? HOWD YOU LIKE IT THEN!?

Sasori: Go get a life people and leave us alone. We've been abused enough. I mean it's bad enough that our creator abuses us! Having to deal with that GarySue Sodsuke Uchiha! And I'm dead! Beaten by some pink haired girl and my grandma!

Sasori(again? XD): Don't be like the idiot authoress that wrote this story.

Sakura: And think the next time you pair me with someone. Think.

Tally Mai-chan: Jeez, you give a Naruto character room to speak their mind and all they do is rant.

(P.S This was a joke on my part. The story is still going on! Actually, when I had originally planned to write this story I was going to stop it there but I decided to keep it going.)


	9. Chapter 9

Hallucinations. Part 2.

Chapter 9

* * *

Sakura pulled her hooded cloak deeper acrpss her face. Slouched down in her chair, watching from the corner of the bar she hid, waiting. It was a filthy, run-down shop with dim candles hanging from the ceiling in slitted brass trays. She ignored the men glancing at her, burly with tangled beards and scars down their faces. She only had eyes for the two men sitting in front of the bar tender. She could hear their soft voices as they spoke to him.

The one man twisting in his chair impatiently. He wore an orange mask that hid his face but he spoke everything that was one his mind, making him as easy to read as a book. He was loud and careless. Saying whatever nonsense entered his mind and whined at everything that displeased him. The second man was more rational than his counterpart, in comparison of the two. Sakura remembered the blond haired Akatsuki that was partnered with Sasori.

They were asking about Orochimaru, or more specifically, the Uchiha working under him. Sakura felt nothing when _his_ name was mentioned. What she didn't understand was why Akatsuki spoke about Orochimaru in the past tense, like he was dead.

The two Akatsuki thanked the bartender, having heard all the information they needed, and Deidara dropped a few coins on the counter. The bar tenders face twisted into a ugly smile and hastily pocketed the money, turning to his other customers. The two Akatsuki strutted out, Deidara kicking the door open and the masked man scolding him. She waited half a minute and followed them out.

It was the middle of the day and Sakura merged into the crowd as the two Akatsuki worked their way through the throng. The orange masked Akatsuki, Tobi, she believed his name was, detoured away from Deidara to look at some trinket or food in the stores lining the streets. Deidara would huff, looking worn out from Tobi's childish ways, but would say nothing, and when he did it was to call Tobi back when he would start to wander too far off.

To remain undetected Sakura walked far behind them, moving closer and back, never staying a consistent distance from them. Their guard was down, Deidara distracted by Tobi and Tobi hardly looked like he cared about being aware of his surroundings.

"Hey Deidara-sempai!" Tobi suddenly shouted as Sakura walked as close to them as she dared, pretending to look at a display of jewels in a shop. "There's a girl that keeps following us!"

Sakura dropped to her feet and scrambled around the table of the shop. The shop keeper, a young man looked at her sharply and started to lift a bronze sword from his waist.

"Please, I'm a Konoha ninja. I'm on a mission." She whispered franticly, trying to listen for the two Akatsuki voices. The man tightened the grip on his sword and she flashed him her headband, tied around her arm, and only noticeable if she removed most of her cloak. The man was still, his eyes firm. He nodded to her and bowed to him in thanks.

Sakura cautiously peered over the table. Scanning the area quickly, her eyes darting from face to face. The two Akatsuki were gone, but they were no doubt on their guard. She stepped around the table, lifting the hood from her eyes. No black cloaks stood out from within the crowds.

How had that man, Tobi, had known she was following them? He had the attention span of a goldfish but still noticed her constant presence. She had wondered how a fool like him had gotten into the Akatsuki, but it wasn't them with their guard down. It was her.

She left the main road and stalked through urban alleys, moving through the shadows until she reached the edge of town. She scaled the stone wall surrounding the city and jumped on to the highest branch of the nearest tree.

She had followed the two Akatsuki for two days now. Maybe Tobi remembered seeing her the first day and by chance saw her again. Either way to was too risky to follow them like that again. She tore off her cloak and let the black fabric curl through the air until it landed softly on the ground.

She learned enough through tracking them to predict their destination with some accuracy, the next town over, to the west of this small town. They had mentioned the town several times before, either to each other or their informants. It was the most probable place they would be. She traveled further into the woods and found a wide tree with thick branches to serve as her bed. It was a while until night but she needed to rest. She had stayed up the whole night before, paranoid that the two Akatsuki knew she was there, and following them.

She settled down on her branch and a something slipped out from the bag hanging by her waist. She looked down and saw it was her book, _Hakon of the West_.

"This is real." she whispered. "No more dreams."

"_Sakura... I've been to your house."_

"_What!?! You have no right to do that! You said you'd be confidential!"_

"_Yes, I said that Sakura and I never broke the promise. I only wanted to understand. Its rare but sometimes people have dreams when in coma and these dreams can be perceived as real. You're dreams were influenced by your life Sakura. I found these books in your room, you talked about a man named Hakon."_

"_He's from the country beyond the desert in wind."_

"_Sakura, you know that that country dose not exist. There's only ocean beyond the desert."_

"_It is real! I was there! I lived there!"_

"_Sakura, see this map. Its a real map of our world. It shows it right here, after Wind country there is only open ocean."_

"_I don't..."_

"_You were in a coma for a long time Sakura."_

Sakura snapped out of her daze. She had better things to do. She had to find the Akatsuki again. She grabbed a kunai from her bag and waited in the branches of the tree till night, dozing off for a half hour at a time, ensuring rest before her trip tonight.

When at last night came and the forest was shrouded in darkness did Sakura stir from her perch. Waisting no motion she effortlessly lept through the trees at top speed. She knew she was being careless. Speed meant noise and her presence could be alerted so any unwanted person but she had to take that chance.

The trees thinned out as a road cut through the forest. She stopped, an unusual smell lingering in the air. The smell of smoke and ash. Alert she jumped to the ground and walked forward. The old dirt road, wide enough for a horse drawn carriage was covered with circle singe marks. A tree, further down the road was toppled, a ring of black ash around it's base.

_'The Akatsuki have been through here.'_ Thought Sakura, '_this is definitely the work of Deidara.'_

With her confidence boosted Sakura speed down the road, the town only a few miles away. It was a warm summer night but a cold chill ran down her spine. She thought she felt no fear when she followed the Akatsuki but now her fear was renewed.

Akatsuki should not be taken lightly. She had to be prepared, for if the Akatsuki ever became aware of her presence, they would not hesitate to kill her.

* * *

It was too late when Sakura reached town the next morning. She scoured the whole town but found no Akatsuki. She found plenty of evidence that they had passed through. An inn sitting innocently at the edge of town lost five rooms in a mysterious explosion. When she asked the owner about two men wearing black cloaks the owner told her, rather crossly, that two such men had stayed the night. Their rooms the epicenter of the explosion. Sakura thanked her and continued into town.

She visited the local bars and found few people willing to proffer the information she needed. She doubted that most of them actually knew anything, they were all jobless drunks looking for some fun. Her last chance was with a man named Hayato.

While no bar tender or drunk gave any information on the elusive Akatsuki one man gave her the name Hayato. Said that Hayato was a subordinate of an Akatsuki member.

Hayato's hangout was a lively bar in the center of town, off to the side of a business road. Sakura walked through the open doorway and was overwhelmed by the noise. Hordes of men drinking in liberal bliss. Sakura pushed her way through the throng of men, and their lady friends to the smiling bar tender.

"Can I do anything for you miss?" The young bar tender smiled at her, looking no older than twenty Sakura doubted he could be the owner of such a place but the way everyone treated him, calling him by the respectable Eagle-sama, she knew he was real.

"I'm looking for Hayato."

"You're looking at him." He smiled, resting his elbow on the counter top, he looked very relaxed and open. His almond shaped, dark green eyes and ebony hair gave the appearance of a sly raven.

Sakura got down to business. "I'm looking for the Akatsuki."

Hayato made no move, his smile never faltering but there was an edge to his words. "And why would you do that?"

"I have business with them" She replied. The people around them had edged away, their expressions of shock and anger setting her on guard.

"You're going to have to be more specific than that... Sakura."

She jumped but he was faster. He grabbed her wrist and jumped over the counter, landing behind her, his hand slid up her back and she curled away from him. Cold metal pressed against her neck and he whispered into her ear.

"Let's talk in private shall we?"

The bar was silent except for a few men, drunken beyond reason, causing a riot. Everyone looked ready for a fight, some with knives clutched in their hands. Sakura gave in and let herself be lead off to a side passage, one easily missed unless you looked for it specifically.

He took her into a wide room with a low ceiling, the room had a odd shape to it, like a pentagon with one side on the closest right, longer than the others. The room was furnished with low couches smothered in blankets and pillows. Pictures and screens, drawn and painted by various artists decorated the pale yellow walls. The red carpet soft under her soled shoes.

"Sit." Hayato pointed to the closest couch. She sat and he took the seat opposite of her. There was nothing between her and the one exit out, she could make a dash for it. No, he would be expecting that. He wouldn't have made such a mistake unless it was a trap. She was already in his trap, to blindly enter another one that she didn't know of was foolish.

"You know my name?" She stared speaking, her voice calm. Hayato smiled.

"Yes, It's not often that a kunoichi defeats an Akatsuki."

"You are very well informed."

"As I should be. I am curious though. Why would someone who has already bested an Akatsuki look for the others? Are you trying to wipe them all out? By yourself?"

Sakura thought before answering but decided that she didn't need to speak at all. Her hand slipped down the front of her shirt and she pulled out a small pouch hanging from a thin leather strap. She opened it and pulled out the black right.

"That's...." Hayato breathed sharply, his eyes lighting up in surprise. Struck speechless, he said nothing for a long while. Sakura carefully put the ring back into it's pouch and the pouch in its special spot.

"Tell me where the Akatsuki are."

Rage flashed through Hayato's eyes and he pulled a katana from underneath the couch. Sakura shot forward, her fist already in the punch. Hayato lept back, jumping on the couch. His sword slid smoothly from it's sheath and swung down. Sakura blocked with her kunai and deflected the blow over her head. Hayato anticipated her to punch jumped back again, distancing himself from her.

Sakura punched the ground with her chakra punch and the floor crumpled away. Hayato cried out in shock and lost his balance. His sword flung from his hands. Sakura was on him before he could think and pushed him against the wall.

"I'll ask you one more time." She whispered into his ear, pulling her kunai against his neck, drawing beads of blood. "Where are the Akatsuki?"

* * *

Sasuke. Why did Sasuke have to pop up all over her life? Why did he have to be so powerful? Hayato told her just more than the two Akatsuki's whereabouts but also their mission and other secrets of the Akatsuki.

Hayato ran up behind her, looking very smug with himself. She slowed her pace to match with his.

"And what are you smiling about." She asked sharply, watching him from the corner of her eyes. Hayato's smirk grew and said that he thought of something funny. Try as she might he would not tell her what.

She didn't know why he decided to come with her. At his bar he said that he was "captivated" by her, but she didn't trust him.

"You were on a team with Sasuke weren't you?" Hayato questioned but he knew the answer, she could see it on his face.

"Yes."

"And the Kyubi?"

"Don't play innocent, you fool. Ask any more dumb punches and I'll send you back to your village, flying."

He smiled and they ran in silence.

The noon sun was beating down on them when Sakura and Hayato saw smoke and explosions in the distance. They bee-lined to the battle, Sakura jumping through trees at a dangerous rate. Branches scratched her skin and more than once she lost her balance or slipped. A quick look behind her to see if Hayato was keeping up. He was far behind and looked none to happy with her.

Sakura poured chakra into her next step and rocketed through the trees and into an open clearing. Two sets of eyes fell upon her. She meet their eyes as she flew through the air, and touched ground. Hayato landed ten feet behind her, looking off into the distance. She followed his gaze and saw the second Akatsuki member. Tobi.

"Wa!" Tobi shouted, pointing at Sakura. "It's the girl Sempai! The girl that was following us!"

"Are you serious Tobi!" Deidara shouted from the sky. Sakura saw the horrible dragon-like thing, one giant bomb, waiting to explode. Deidara's blue eyes scoured her and then Hayato. Sakura ignored him and focused on the person that mattered most.

"Long time no see... Sasuke."

Unlike how she had imagined he would be when they meet again Sasuke was not his calm, stoic self. His eyes blazed with a fiery fierceness that exposed his anger. He watched her for only a few seconds before turning to face Deidara.

"Great, a friend of yours Uchiha!" Deidara shouted from the dragon.

Sakura turned to Hayato, looking from him to Tobi. "Remember what we discussed."

Hayato nodded and carefully approached Tobi. Sakura faced Sasuke, the tension in the air rising, making her skin shiver in anticipation. The chakra gathered in her fist and from the corner of her eyes Deidara prepared to attack.

Sakura's fist pounded into the ground and rock and earth flew in all directions, creating a wide split in the ground aimed right at Sasuke. Sakura distinctly heard Tobi shout something about bombs and the ground before her erupted in fire and smoke.

A wave of searing heat smacked her, and she was flung back. Her momentum stopped by a tree, Sakura fell to the ground. She staggered to her feet, holding onto the tree for support, and her eyes fell upon the fresh crater thirty feet away. Deidara was on his clay dragon, safe from the explosion. She saw Hayato and Tobi emerge from the forest but she didn't see Sasuke.

There was only a second warning of his attack. The soft ruffle of fabric and the glint of his sword. She pulled a kunai and blocked his blade. She threw another kunai with her free hand and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sakura was open, he could attack from anywhere. She tried to perform a substitution, giving her a chance to hide and plan her next attack. Sasuke was on her before she could finish the jutsu. Blue lightning, the sound of chirping birds. Sakura wasn't fast enough to dodge his chidori.

Suddenly everything was inverted. Her vision spiraling into a single point. A tug, starting from her navel and moving up her torso and down through her legs gave her a feeling of being pulled through a thin tube. The next thing she knew she was standing between Hayato and Tobi.

"That was a close one." Said Tobi, laughing cheerfully. Far off Sasuke stood still, his arm stretched out as his chidori slowly fading away.

"Let's end this Tobi!" Shouted Deidara, his dragoon swooping down to the ground. The blond smirked, cocky of an easy victory. Sasuke bit his thumb and two twin snakes were summoned. The mouth of Deidara's dragoon opened and a clay pigs slid out. The pig bombs hit the snakes and fire and smoke erupted, filling the clearing with ash and dirt.

When the smoke cleared, Sasuke was gone.

"Oooh! Deidara-sempai!" Tobi shouted to Deidara, the blond had jumped off his dragoon and walked to them. "Itachi's brother ran away! This means we win right? Right!?"

"No you idiot, we didn't win. He ran away, the coward. Theirs nothing worthwhile in winning by default." Deidara looked at her with mild interest. Tobi took it upon himself to explain Sakura to him.

"Oh Deidara-sempai! This girl is Sakura-chan! She's the old teammate of Sasuke and the Kyuubi! She's going to join us!"

"What!?" Deidara looked between Tobi and Sakura in surprise. "No way, yeah. Hows a brat like her supposed to get into Akatsuki."

"I'm more than qualified to join Akatsuki." Sakura jumped in, narrowing her eyes at him. "I defeated Sasori did I not?"

"Well... yeah... but-" Deidara hesitated. He didn't know if he hated this girls guts or that he respected her for being stronger than his old master.

"And." Sakura pulled out the pouch around her neck, showing off the ring inside to Deidara. "I have Kakuzu's ring."

Deidara was silent as he thought things over. Sakura was worthy of being in Akatsuki, he could try to fight it but it would have pointless. On the other hand, if he could get Sakura into the Akatsuki then he could switch her out as his partner instead of Tobi. He'd say that since she's beat his old partner they should be paired together.

"I guess you have what it takes... having Kakuzu's rings means nothing but you did beat Sasori... so I guess I can talk to Leader-sama for you, yeah. Wait here, yeah." Deidara turned and walked into the woods, out of their sight.

"I'm totally in right?" Sakura said seriously.

Tobi nodded slowly. "Pretty much yeah. You're defiantly going to get in."

"You're joking." Hayato added, aghast at the two's casual conversation/

"I'm not joking." Sakura and Tobi said together. They both laughed and Tobi boldly hugged her tightly, swinging Sakura around in circles.

Tobi's mouth, right by her ear, shouted. "You could be partnered with me and Deidara sempai! Or you could be with Itachi and Kisame-san but I wouldn't like that."

Sakura pulled out of the hug stepped back. "I almost forgot! I need to tell you something really important, I know where Hidan's body should be! He's immortal right? So he should still be alive."

"Hidan-sempai?" Tobi cocked his head to the side. Hayato sighed deeply.

"Kakuzu's partner? Purple hair? Believes in jashin?"

Tobi remembered, "Oh him! Yeah, he was a bad boy. He swore a lot! So Hidan-sempai is still alive huh? I should tell Zetsu that and he could go get him! How'd you know that Hidan was immortal Sakura-chan?"

"Easy." Sakura shrugged. "Before I left Konoha I read all the files on Akatsuki, it wasn't hard to skim through the files on Kakuzu and Hidan, nor was it hard to get Kakuzu's ring from his body. When Konoha claimed Kakuzu's body they put all of the things on him in one place, his ring included."

"That wasn't smart." Said Hayato.

"I had a feeling that the rings Akatsuki wore were special. I just didn't know why, and apparently Konoha didn't either so it was just pushed aside."

They couldn't discuss about Hidan or the rings anymore as Deidara came trekking back through the woods.

"Leader wants to meet you, yeah." Deidara told Sakura right away then turned to Tobi and Hayato. "We gotta take her to Ame Tobi, and Hayato, you're coming too..."

Hayato clenched his fists. "Hmpf, I'm an Akatsuki member too Deidara-san, not in the same rank as you but still a member."

Deidara gravely nodded and Tobi did to. Without a word they started off through the woods to Amegakure.

* * *

"_Hello Sakura, my name is Yuumi. I'm going to be your psychiatrist."_

"_I don't need a psychiatrist! I'm perfectly fine!"_

"_Calm down Sakura. I'm sure you're right but Hokage-sama ordered you go under a psychoanalysis for at last a week. She is concerned that being in a coma state for such a long time could have... changed your perceptions of things..."_

"_I fail to see the sense in that..."_

"_It'll be easy Sakura, all you have to do is talk we me for an hour a day three times a week for one week. Can't get simpler than that right?"_

"_Whatever."_

"_Just pretend that I'm one of your friends. You're friends with Yamanaka Ino right? Just pretend I'm her."_

"_I shouldn't have to be going to a psychiatrist. It's so stupid."_

"_We'll talk more next time, right now. I want you to relax and feel more comfortable with me."

* * *

_

That night Sakura slept far away from the other Akatsuki. Hayato offered to sleep by her for better protection but she rejected his offer. She needed time to herself. She told her psychiatrist long ago that she could tell between reality and dreams but she hasn't been so sure of herself lately.

Sakura curled onto her side, her back away from the others and kept a kunai hidden under her shirt, her hand ready to grab it at a moments notice. It wasn't just the Akatsuki she was wary of but Sasuke as well. He could come after them and she would be ready.

Tobi had saved her last time. She didn't know how or why but he did, there was definitely something strange about him. She couldn't think of any motive behind his actions but he had this feeling to him. A feeling none too different than Sasuke, before he left Team 7 for Orochimaru.

And then there was Hayato and Deidara. Both were so eager to help her, they could be trusted lest of all, but she had to depend on them. They were her keys to joining Akatsuki.

Sakura closed her eyes and for a moment, forgot her struggles and pain, and only thought of Sasori. It was only a matter of time after all.

* * *

Tally Mai-chan: Whew! My gosh this took me a while to write. It's a bit boring now but I gotta set up the later chapters and this is the only way to do so. So please put up with it and REVIEW! Yeah! I'm going to try to finish writing this story rather quickly and reviews give me a big morale boost.

Until Next Time! See ya!


	10. Author Note: The End, for now

Due to many things-some beyond my control-I am dropping this story. It was fun writing it. It was fun reading all of your comments. I really want to thank everyone who commented or favored or alerted my story. It's the best thing you can do for an author and I love it.

Maybe some day I'll pick this story up again but not any time soon. I'll be honest in saying that currently, this story has been depressing the hell out of me. Please don't ask why. And please don't beg me to keep writing. That will only make me feel worse. So don't.

Now I'm not going to stop writing! Please don't interpret this message like that. It's this story right here, Hallucinations, that's being dropped. I have a bunch of other stories that I'm working on that you guys will love. Currently I have a story dedicated to SasorixSakura pairing and that will be continued no problem. I'm also starting a new story with an OC with Hidan the leading male this time around.

So this is the goodbye to Hallucinations and all the dedicated readers who stuck through to the almost end. I have other stories, another Sasori/Sakura story and more in the future yet to come.

Goodbye

Tally Mai-chan


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